Thanks to all who replied.  It turns out that, looking through my 
storehouse of retired good stuff, I found an old Hi-Val 56K external modem.

It installed way to easy and works flawlessly.  That worries me.  :-)

Thanks,

George
 
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2006 06:01:14 -0700 (PDT)
> From: KE7FEG <eculbert@yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: 56K Modem War Stories
> To: Main PLUG discussion list <plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>
> Message-ID: <20060626130114.11922.qmail@web51715.mail.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
> As I understand it, if it is a 'winmodem' internal ---
> skip it. Internals need their own guts, not using the
> cpu sharing thingy. 
>
> Externals don't share stuff with the OS soooo, they
> just have the guts to run. 
>
> There ARE some internal modems that have the same guts
> as the externals, USR has some. They are the
> 'expensive'er' models..around $50 and up, instead of
> under $25 new.
>
> I think it is USR's 'business class' courier modems
> but don't quote me on internals...always used
> externals/linux. 
>
> --- "Patrick Fleming, EA" <plug@rwcinc.net> wrote:
>
>   
>> I like Best Data modems. External serial and have
>> worked with everything
>> I ran. I picked mine up at Office Max.
>>
>>     
> http://bestdata.com/index.php?file=c-all56k&iCategoryId=10
>   
>> George wrote:
>>     
>>> I needing a good Linux friendly (Debian - Xandros)
>>>       
>> 56K modem.  Any
>>     
>>> good/bad stories (make model) I need to know
>>>       
>> about?
>>     
>>> TIA
>>>