A modem is a hardware device that connects your home or office to your internet service provider. Short for “modulator-demodulator,” it translates the digital signals your computer uses into a format suitable for transmission over phone lines, coaxial cables, fiber optics, or satellite connections — and vice versa. In most setups, the modem is the first piece of your internet puzzle, receiving the signal from the provider and passing it along to the router, which distributes it to your devices.
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