Two modems on one line????

[A1ex]

I have two modems installed, one integrated on the motherboard and an 
external one on a serial port. At the present I am using the external 
modem on both Windows XP and UBUNTU and the integrated modem output is 
not connected because it seems to be a 100% Winmodem..  The external 
modem is a little flaky in Windows XP---I sometimes have to kickstart it 
by performing a modem query.but it works fine in UBUNTU..

I would prefer having the integrated modem active for Windows XP and the 
external serial one active for UBUNTU with both connected to a single 
phone line to the jack box.wihout resorting to a switch to select modems.

Would there be a problem if I had both modems connected to the same 
phone line?  My thinking is that there are already other appliances 
connected to that same phone line and there's no problem and I think all 
modems  have a tri-state output, that is high, low, and an effectively 
disconnected state and the two  modems will never be active at the same 
time. 

So, if one of the modems is in an effectively disconnected state when 
the other one is is active, their outputs could safely be connected 
together so only one line to the phone jack box is needed with just a 
short jumper cable to connect the the two outputs
together at the computer.

What say you???  Did I miss something?

alex , the world's oldest Linux fanatic.86+.
..