History of Modems – Types of Modems for connecting to internet

Modem is the device which helps us to connect to internet on our computers. Modems are connected via phone lines or broad band links. Modem is MOdulator-DEModulator which enables a computer to transmit data that arrives via a physical cable line which can be a phone line or broadband link. A MODEM converts analog to digital and vise-versa.

The first modem was developed in 1950s , for American military service to exchange data through phone lines. The first commercial modem was developed by AT & T in 1962, It was too slow during the initial phase. It was just supporting 300 bits per second. Later on technology improved and speed of modems too.

One Canadian electrical engineer Brent Townshend had invented the fastest modem with a speed of 56 Kbps.

Basic function of a Computer Modem

When it receives an analog data through a connection, it has to convert it in digital data to be usable by the computer. Likewise it reverses the action when it has to send data

Types of Computer Modems

Internal computer modems are used with Dial-Up Internet connection through a couple of RJ-11 connection. Also called copper telephone lines, the RJ-11 allows computer to receive and send data as explained above.

External  modem can be used to the same purpose and in the same conditions as internal computer modem. External modem is a small box that uses other kind of interfaces to be connected to the computer.

USB modem which normally uses USB port usually placed on the back or in front of the computer.

Cable modem uses a coaxial cable television lines to provide a greater bandwidth than the dial-up comuter modem. An extremely fast access to the Web is providing by the cable modem with downstream transmission up to 38 Mbits/s and an upstream transmission up to 1 Mbits/s

Tags: computer, external, hardware, internal, modems