What is a Modem and why do I need one?

Question: What is a Modem and why do I need one?

Answer: The term modem stands for modulator/demodulator. The modem is a device that translates the digital signals of the computer to analog signals that the telephone lines can understand. Modems can be either internal or external.

What is the difference between internal and external components?

Internal components are devices that are either built-in to the motherboard of the computer, added on an expansion card or a device attached to the motherboard by way of ribbon cables.

External devices are added to the computer system by plugging them into one of the ports on the back of the computer.

Janet F. Munn
Customer Service Representative
Gold Rush Internet, LLC

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