Continuous developments in computer technology allow us to stay connected to the world using a modem. A modem is a device that allows the user to send and receive data. This lesson will give you a basic understanding of a modem.
What Is a Modem?
We have all wondered how it is possible to send an email from one computer to another in seconds. We marvel at how our computer lets us video chat from our bedroom with a friend in another house on the other side of the world. The way we can access the internet and view endless possibilities of information is amazing. Our modem is the gateway to our exploration of the internet. It makes telecommunications possible.
The name modem means modulator demodulator. A modem connects our computer to a standard phone line or to our cable, which allows us to send data or receive data. A modem is a conversion device that converts signals from one device into signals another device can read. For example, a modem may covert the digital data of a computer into an analog signal that can be read and carried by a telephone line. The modulator part of the modem converts digital signals to analog signals, and the demodulator part converts analog signals to digital signals.
Data Representation
Data can be images, text, numbers, sound, or video. In order for our computer to interpret what we put into it, the computer must decipher the data first. To the computer, data is represented by 0s and 1s. Either the signal is a 1 for 'On' or a 0 for 'Off.' A 0 or 1 is called a bit or binary digit. Eight bits make a byte. The computer uses ASCII code to represent all character data. ASCII stands for the American Standard Code for Information Interchange.
The computer sees the following when we press a key on our keyboard:
| Data | ASCII Code | Binary Number |
|---|---|---|
| A | 65 | 01000001 |
| 9 | 57 | 00111001 |
| ? | 129 | 10000001 |
Rapid Communication
The simplest way to explain how the modem works is by using an example. Jasmine lives in Mississippi, and her sister Olivia lives in Texas. Olivia is planning a dessert party and hoped she could include Grandma's recipe for lemon meringue pie. Unfortunately, they were not able to find it when Olivia visited Jasmine. The night before the party, Jasmine found Grandma's recipe in an old box in the back of her closet. Olivia was not at home, so Jasmine could not give her the recipe over the phone. So, she emailed it to her.
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