I ask this because I'm planning of switching completely to Linux, and because I need to constantly use the internet, I'm interested in buying a "real" modem that is going to work under Linux and other *nices.
Anyway, what makes you think you need an external serial modem to use with Linux? It'll work w/ regular PCI modems, ethernet, wireless, anything really.
Also, what makes that a "real" modem as opposed to others?
I'm thinking when he says real as opposed to other, that the other would be a winmodem and a real modem being a hardware driven modem (they are more expensive).