Cable Modem : What is it?
| Cable modems provide broadband Internet over the cable television service instead of telephone lines. They connect to the same coaxial wire that receives cable TV signals, dedicating part of the bandwidth to transmitting data instead of signal reception. They transmit up to 100 times faster than analog modems and can download at megabit rates, but most providers limit download speeds to 128 or 256 megabits and offer full speeds only as a premium service.
Because they use a shared cable line, cable modems can slow down when too many users in an area connect with cable modems. This also makes less secure, as users can simply use packet sniffers to tap into another connection. Cable companies usually solve this problem by offering security features, such as firewalls and filters. |
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Kinds of Cable Modems include the following: |
USb Cable Modems
- External cable modems plug into the USB port, allowing simpler installation and better compatibility.
- They are usually software-based and use up system resources, which can slow down the computer.
- They work only with one computer at a time and cannot connect to an Ethernet network.
Ethernet Cable Modems
- Ethernet Cable Modems connect to the computer through the Ethernet port and require an Ethernet card.
- They allow multiple computers to share the connection through an Ethernet hub, switch, or router.
- They work with most hardware platforms and operating systems.
Internal Cable Modems
- Internal Cable Modems are small circuit cards that plug into expansion slots inside the computer.
- Most models are designed for PCI bus slots in desktop computers. Laptops require a more compact format called PCMCIA.
- They are not isolated from the AC mains power, which may make them unusable in some areas.
Interactive set-top boxes
- These cable modems allow users to access network services directly on the TV screen.
- They are designed to provide TV channels to the cable service, but include a return channel that provides web browsing and other network features.
- They usually send return signals through the telephone line.
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Security: Choose a cable modem with a firewall function to secure your connection and protect against tapping. If your computer or Ethernet hub has a firewall program as well, make sure the two programs do not override each other.
Bandwidth: Choose a cable modem with a wide bandwidth to ensure consistent speed and data traffic. Bandwidth may be reduced in networked computers, so ask your cable provider if they offer premium packages for office computer networks. |
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