What are external modems?
External modems are communication devices that use computers to connect to public networks such as the Internet. The modem sitting inside the computer is called the internal modem, while the modem that sits the exterior is external modem.
The modem type you need depends on the type of Internet access service you want. There are two general categories: basic dialing service and high -speed broadband service.
Basic dialing (internal and external modems)
were traditionally internal modems by dialing modems that connect to Internet service providers (ISP) using an analog signal via the telephone line. Because phones also use analog signals, phones and modems cannot share lines simultaneously. Dial-up is the slowest, but also the least expensive way to connect to the Internet.
External modems can also be dial -up modems, and if so, they will be evaluated at 56 kbps transfer speed (KILobytes per second) such as their internal second -ups. External modems are useful if there are no available internal slots, or if the modem needs to be shared between computers that are not connected. In this case, an external modem connected to the desktop system can be easily disconnected and connected to another desktop or even with a laptop.
External modems for dial-up are cheap and available wherever computers are sold. They are easy to set up, come with instructions and most include fax capacity at the software level. Recent versions of most operating systems recognize and load drivers for dialing modems, which are plug-and-play devices.
high -speed broadband (external modems)
Most external modems today are not dialing modems, but broadband modems. External modems designed for broadband service provide a different typeConnection to the Internet, which is very fast, is used by a ranging ISP. Broadband modems usually have transfer measures from 1.5 - 8 Mbps (megabytes per second) or higher.
DSL, FIOS, cable and satellite are various flavors of high -speed internet. Normally Internet services providers sell broadband Internet access to its customers external modems configured for use with the service. Depending on the terms and conditions, external modems could be rented with a small monthly fee or provided free of charge for the duration of the client's contract. High -speed modems are usually not internal.
External modems used for broadband can be connected or wireless. If it is wireless, a wireless network adapter must be installed on each computer to communicate with the modem. These adapters can be PCMCIA or external devices that connect to the computer via the USB port.
dsl modems useTelephone line for sending digital signals rather than analog signals. As a result, you can use the phone when using the DSL service. This also applies to the FIOS service, which uses the optical fiber line instead of standard copper telephone lines. External modems used for high -speed cable will not use the telephone line, but rather a cable TV line. Local cable companies provide cable internet services if available.
If you are interested in high -speed internet service, do not buy external modems without the first ISP selection, as it will probably provide you with a broadband modem.