One requirement of dial-up Internet service is a MODEM, or Modulator Demodulator (now commonly written as modem). This device turns the digital signals from your computer into analog signals (sound) to allow you transmit data over a phone line.
In order to determine whether or not your computer has a MODEM, please review the instructions below:
- Distinguish the difference between a modem and an Ethernet Jack:
- If the computer does not label its jacks and is equipped with an Ethernet card, you may have difficulty determining whether the jacks are for a modem or Ethernet card. Although an Ethernet jack is similarly shaped to a modem jack, a modem jack is more narrow and is square-shaped. Also, most modems have two modem jacks adjacent to one another---one for connecting to a phone outlet and one option jack for connecting a telephone. An Ethernet jack, on the other hand, is wider and more rectangular in shape. Ethernet jacks will also have a small LED light next to the jack, while modem jacks do not.
- Find the modem's PCI card inside of the computer.
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- You can tell if your computer has a modem by examining the computer's internal hardware. Before opening the computer, shut down and unplug your computer's power cord. Unscrew and remove the outer case of your computer using a Phillips screwdriver. Once you have removed the computer case, find the computer's motherboard and locate its PCI cards. If your computer has a modem, you will find a PCI card that has a large black or gray box at the connector end of the PCI card.
- Access your operating system's hardware manager.
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- You can determine if your computer has a modem by reviewing the hardware devices listed in your operating system's hardware manager. To access the "Device Manager" in Windows, right-click the "My Computer" shortcut on your PC and click "Properties." Once the "System Properties" icon loads, click the "Hardware" tab and select "Device Manager." Scroll through the list of hardware devices until you see the "Modems" heading. Click the "+" symbol next to "Modems" to see if it lists a modem. If no device is listed or the Device Manager does not have a "Modems" heading, your PC does not have a modem.
If you require assistance in determining whether or not your computer has a modem, please submit a ticket to our Technical Support Group.