Finding the Best Cable Modem

What is the function of a Cable Modem?
A cable modem is a type of device that provides access to a data signal sent over the cable television infrastructure. Cable modems are mainly used to deliver broadband Internet access in the form of cable Internet, using unused bandwidth on a cable television network. They are found in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Europe, the United Kingdom, and the USA. In USA alone there are more than 22.5 million cable modem users but when it comes to seeing and selecting a cable modem there are many choices to choose from.

The most important feature that one should consider when buying a cable modem is reliability. The best way to get information regarding a specific cable modem is by researching about it using the Internet. Doing that will provide you with the technical specifications of a given cable modem, like the speed at which the cable modem is capable of transferring data, the type of warranty associated with the purchase, user and professional reviews, operating system compatibility and the like. The best cable modem has to provide consistent, uninterrupted, high-speed Internet connection. Cable modems have the capacity to transfer data at speeds of more than 1.5 Mbps, greatly exceeding the speeds of older, outdated modems such as those used for dial-up and ISDN narrowband Internet connectivity. In order to connect a cable modem to a computer, you would need to run Ethernet cable from the cable modem to your computer’s network card (Ethernet card). The cable modem must also be connected to its cable backbone network by a coaxial cable. If your cable modem can handle speeds up to 100 times faster than 28.8 k modems then it does prove itself in terms of speed. It should be compatible with Ethernet and USB connectivity and also should be smooth with Windows 95, 98, 2000, Me, NT, XP, Mac OS, Linux and Unix. There should also be features that would ensure security. All modems nowadays meet the V.90 standard, which operates at 56Kbps. This speed can be often misleading. FCC restrictions on the amount of voltage can cause a modem to put on the line; even a "56K" modem has a speed limit of 53Kbps (with most modems averaging speeds from 40Kbps to 50Kbps). That maximum speed is only in one direction, downloading, and many times, connections are made at a much slower speed. Uploading is done at 33Kbps at best. The new standard called V.92 has recently come up and when implemented by the ISPs (Internet service providers), it raises the speed of upload to as fast as 43Kbps.

With the help of a modem you can also send and receive faxes using your PC, eliminating the need for a fax machine. As no major difference exists in the basic functionality between modems today, manufacturers have begun adding special features, such as the ability to send voice messages to other users while communicating online or to automatically differentiate between voice, fax, and data calls. Broadband Internet access methods, such as cable and DSL, need a different type of device. Cable and DSL "modems" do not work in the same way as the standard V.90 modem, and most of them need to be matched to the specific vendor offering the service. You can purchase a modem for DSL access, but unless it's the one specified by the DSL provider, it might not work. External modems need an available port to plug into, but they're easier to install and offer handy status lights. Internal modems require a free slot inside your PC, and are generally cheaper. If you use a laptop, you'll definitely want to choose a PC Card modem for maximum portability. Wireless modems are also available but then in regards to effective functioning it does not have much of a difference from the wired modems. The "best" cable modem would differ from one user to the other, therefore here are the specifications of each configuration and now you can certainly the "best" one for you.