modem
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
A modem (modulator-demodulator) connects your home directly to your internet service provider, typically through a cable or phone line. A router, by contrast, takes that single internet connection and shares it among multiple devices in your home, assigning local IP addresses. A switch connects multiple devices within a local network, like a router's LAN ports but without the routing intelligence. An access point broadcasts a Wi-Fi signal so wireless devices can join a wired network. Many homes today use a combined modem-router unit, which has blurred the distinction. In practice: your modem is the device the cable company installs, while the router creates the Wi-Fi network you log into with your phone or laptop.
Common collocations
Nouns
- modem speed
- modem connection
- modem cable
- modem port
- modem setup
Phrases
- cable modem
- broadband modem
- DSL modem
- built-in modem
- external modem
- wireless modem
Prepositions
- via modem
- through a modem
- with a modem
Etymology
The word 'modem' is a blend of 'modulator' and 'demodulator', two technical terms from telecommunications. A modulator converts digital data from a computer into analogue signals for travel over phone lines, and a demodulator does the reverse — turning incoming analogue signals back into digital data. The name was coined in the mid-20th century as engineers developed devices that let computers communicate over telephone networks.