They can also provide communications between remote offices or just between friends for something like a game of two-player Doom . While the modem is often the forgotten technology, you can get the best out of your modem by understanding how it works and how to tune it to get its best performance. We will start by explaining modem technology to identify the main factors in controlling your modem's performance when accessing the Internet. By the end of this tutorial you should be able to ensure that your modem is delivering its maximum performance. Before connecting to your Internet service provider you must ensure that the modem and software are set up correctly.
Many people confuse the terms line speed and interface speed.
When thinking about modem communications it is important to remember that there are two separate speeds at which your modem communicates. Your modem will speak to your Internet service provider's modem at what is referred to as line speed, the speed the modems are exchanging information across the telephone line. The terminal or interface speed, as opposed to line speed is the speed at which your modem communicates with your computer. Flow control regulates the flow of information between your computer and modem. Line speed Your modem's line speed is determined by the modem during the loud hand shaking routine at the beginning of the connection.