Laptop Shopping Guide

What is a Computer or Laptop Cable Modem?telecommunications medium. Depending on the medium
While the terms Computer or laptop are often usedand the transmission method, bandwidth is also
interchangeably, A cable modem is a device thatsometimes measured in the Kbps (thousands of bits or
enables you to hook up your personal computer. Akilobits per second) range or the Gbps (billions of bits
modem (from modulate and demodulate) is a deviceor gigabits per second) range.
that modulates an analogue carrier signal to encodeAlthough the bit is a unit of the binary number system,
digital information, and also demodulates such a carrierbits in data communications are discrete signal pulses
signal to decode the transmitted information. Fasterand have historically been counted using the decimal
modems are used by Internet users every day,number system.
notably cable modems and ADSL modems. InDSL or ADSL Modem. Features and Description!
telecommunications, "radio modems" transmit repeatingDSL or ADSL modems are rarely internal to the
frames of data at very high data rates overcomputer but instead are wired to the computer's
microwave radio links. Some microwave modemsEthernet port, or occasionally its USB port, while
transmit more than a hundred million bits per second.voiceband modems are usually built inside the
Optical modems transmit data over optic fibers. Mostcomputer. DSL modems are intended for particular
intercontinental data links now use optic modemsprotocols and sometimes won't work on another line
transmitting over undersea optical fibers.even from the same company, while most voiceband
Computer modem comes in a range of differentmodems use international standards and can "fall
prices. You can find some form of cheap computerback" to find a standard that will work.
modems from as little as Rs.800 to over Rs.80,000Features
Price ranges for computer modems general depend• Router functionality that uses Network
on the manufacturers and the type of ISP connectionAddress Translation (NAT) to share the connection.
that you have. There are many quality manufacturers• An 802.11b or 802.11g wireless access point.
of computer modems, like US Robotics, Hayes, 3com,• Voice over IP functionality including Quality
Xircom, Creative Labs and many more.of Service (priority control for data flows between
What is Mbps?users)
Mbps stands for millions of bits per second or• Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
megabits per second and is a measure of bandwidth(DHCP) server.
(the total information flow over a given time) on a