So, what is a modem?

Forums › New Zealand Broadband › So, what is a modem?

Rickles

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#303470 12-Feb-2023 19:03

I've noticed recently that all the ISP offerings include something like - " ... BYO modem, or modem rental $4 per month ..."

When talking about pure fibre, surely the 'modem' is the ONT/box (router) on the inside wall?

Are they using modem and router interchangeably (and confusingly) 😆

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#3035599 12-Feb-2023 19:06

Yes ONT is modem when using Fibre and what everyone calls the modem is the Router

MaxineN

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#3035601 12-Feb-2023 19:07

As someone who's frontline.

Yes

It is technically a modem (DSL or 4G/5G) but also a router.

90% of the time customers will call it a modem anyway. Avoids confusion.

Until you get to HFC... Then it's cable modem(TC4400) and router but people will still call it a modem.

If you were to ask what I thought about this? We should be calling it what it actually is, but it's so engrained in a lot of people.

Ramblings from a mysterious lady who's into tech. Warning I may often create zingers.

Wombat1

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#3035603 12-Feb-2023 19:10

A modulator/de-modulator piece of circuitry inside your router that is used for DSL/GSM. If you using fiber then the modem will be your ONT and you don't really need one but probably still have one built into your router.

Mehrts

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#3035607 12-Feb-2023 19:31

Can we get ISP's to start replacing the term "modem" with "router", since that's more accurately portraying what that magic all-in-one modemrouterswitchwirelessaccesspoint box is doing.

In all cases it's routing. In some cases, it's modeming - that's a new word I just made up by the way 😅

Over time the general public will become accustomed to just using the term "router".

Rickles

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#3035608 12-Feb-2023 19:32

Clears that up 😉

SirHumphreyAppleby

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#3035609 12-Feb-2023 19:34

Mehrts:

Over time the general public will become accustomed to just using the term "router".

Over time, but probably not in our lifetime. These are the same people who call the internet (sic) 'Wi-Fi' and who still 'tape' television.

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Batman

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#3035621 12-Feb-2023 20:09

fascinating stuff

i have tested electric cars that have engines and gas pedals too

MadEngineer

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#3035627 12-Feb-2023 20:24

Harddrive/computer.

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

shk292

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#3035631 12-Feb-2023 20:41

MadEngineer: Harddrive/computer.

It's a CPU!

Mehrts

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#3035642 12-Feb-2023 20:54

MadEngineer: Harddrive/computer.

Wait, I thought this was the computer?

robertsona

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#3035643 12-Feb-2023 20:55

shk292:

MadEngineer: Harddrive/computer.

It's a CPU!

Mobile phone/iPhone or Android/Samsung

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Wombat1

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#3035669 12-Feb-2023 22:42

Mehrts:

Can we get ISP's to start replacing the term "modem" with "router", since that's more accurately portraying what that magic all-in-one modemrouterswitchwirelessaccesspoint box is doing.

In all cases it's routing. In some cases, it's modeming - that's a new word I just made up by the way 😅

Over time the general public will become accustomed to just using the term "router".

But the router is also a modem, as it still does contain the circuitry for a modem. Just because that circuitry is not in use does not mean its not a modem. Router is just as much an incorrect word as modem.

A gateway is probably the best term for such a device.

Tinkerisk

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#3035684 13-Feb-2023 04:37

My router is without a modem. 😋

- NET: FTTH & VDSL, OPNsense, 10G backbone, GWN APs
- SRV: 12 RU HA server cluster, 0.1 PB storage on premise
- IoT: thread, zigbee, tasmota, BidCoS, LoRa, WX suite, IR
- 3D: two 3D printers, 3D scanner, CNC router, laser cutter

shk292

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#3035765 13-Feb-2023 09:55

Wombat1:

But the router is also a modem, as it still does contain the circuitry for a modem. Just because that circuitry is not in use does not mean its not a modem. Router is just as much an incorrect word as modem.

A gateway is probably the best term for such a device.

It also contains a switch, a USB host, a firewall, and a PSU amongst other things. Of all the functions, the modem is the least important part when used for UFB so it is nonsensical to keep calling it a modem. It would help if ISPs stopped referring to them all as modems.

If you're on UFB, you need a router. Let's call them routers.

Behodar

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#3035767 13-Feb-2023 10:00

SirHumphreyAppleby:

Over time, but probably not in our lifetime. These are the same people who call the internet (sic) 'Wi-Fi' and who still 'tape' television.

The Netflix documentation around setting up a primary location says to connect to Wi-Fi. There's a footnote saying "'Wi-Fi network' refers to your wired or wireless internet connection". Argh.

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