Modem
From Wiki2buy
Shopping Guide - Modem
Even if it is almost unnoticed by less assiduous users, the modem is an essential item for anyone who wants to read e-mails, access the Orkut, join online games, do school researches or just talk to friends through the chat. It is the one that allows communication between your computer and a telephone line, converting the analog from the phone into digital signals and then it becomes the big responsible for the connection from your computer to the Internet access provider.
What are the main types of modem on the market?
The main types of modem are:
- The 56k modem: also known as dial access, which uses the v90 default;
- The ADSL modem (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) also called broadband;
- The cable modem which uses the cable TV network for data transmission and the wireless modem which operates via radio waves.
How do I know what kind of modem I should buy?
- The model 56k is the best of all and needs to be installed inside the PC in the office or the PCI slots serial port. He is known for its low speed and the constant falls during navigation and should therefore be considered as a last option to access the Internet.
- Currently, the most used is the ADSL modem that has several advantages over the modem 56k, starting with its speed at least 4 times higher than dialup and instant access to the Internet without the need to dial. Its transmission is completely digital and guaranteed by the use of external modem, so it is not necessary to open the office of the computer. With its popularity, the companies responsible for access have created service plans for each type of user who range from 250kbps to 8M.
- A good option for those who are already subscribed to the cable TV is the cable modem, as well as DSL, it is external. The difference to the ADSL is in its bandwidth, which can reach a theoretical maximum rate of 30M, since the transmission via TV cable is so much bigger than the one obtained by conventional telephone line. In this case we must be careful about the pricing and plans offered by each operator of cable TV, which can vary from one to another.
- The wireless modem (wireless) doesn’t need to use cables, both telephony as cable TV because they already use radio waves to reach the Internet (Internet Service Protocol), requiring only the installation of a antenna and a wireless modem compatible with the technology 802.11. Here we must stay alert to the security issue, once the signal of access can be downloaded by anyone who has a modem wi-fi and is in the area of reach of the signal, so it is essential to use passwords and programs of protection against invasion.
