Setting up your modem’s connections
The PowerBook G3 Internal Modem is already installed in your PowerBook. To use the modem you need
mthe single-line telephone cord supplied with your PowerBook, which has a two-wire RJ-11 connector at each end
man analog telephone line with a modular jack
m(optional) the PowerBook G3 Internal Modem/Ethernet Adapter
(a Y-adapter that is supplied with your PowerBook) to use the modem while connected to an Ethernet network
Connecting the telephone line to the modem
Follow these steps to connect the telephone line to the modem.
1Open the cover on the computer’s back panel and check the label on the inside of the cover to verify that your computer has the Ethernet/modem card.
Connector for |
|
Ethernet/modem |
Label showing icon for card |
or Ethernet card |
1
The label for the combination Ethernet/internal modem card shows the two icons illustrated below. (Some models of the PowerBook have an Ethernetonly card, which does not provide a modem connection.)
G/W
Ethernet/modem card label
2Locate the telephone cord that came with your computer.
Be sure that the phone cord is a single-line, two-wire type.
2 visible wires
Single-line telephone cord
IMPORTANT Use the telephone cord that came with your computer or an equivalent single-line telephone cord. Any other type of telephone cord may not work correctly with the modem.
3Plug one end of the telephone cord that came with your computer into the internal modem port on your PowerBook.
Modular connector on card
Telephone connector
2
If you are using the adapter cable, plug it into the modem port. Then plug the telephone line into the adapter, in the connector labeled with the telephone icon.
W Telephone connector
G Ethernet connector
Y-adapter
4Plug the other end of the telephone cord into your telephone wall socket.
IMPORTANT The telephone line must be an analog line—the type used in residences. Do not connect a digital telephone line to the modem, because the wrong type of line could damage the modem.
Once the telephone line is connected, you are ready to begin using the modem.
IMPORTANT When you have established a modem connection with another computer or an online service, do not put the computer to sleep. Doing so will disconnect the modem.
3
Using your modem
It’s a good idea to become familiar with a modem’s general operations. This section explains what modems do and shows how to designate the PowerBook G3 Internal Modem in the software you plan to use with the modem.
What modems do
Modems allow computers to communicate over telephone lines. While computers manipulate information in digital format, most telephone systems carry information as analog (wave) signals. Therefore, in order for computers to communicate over the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network), information must be converted to and from digital and analog formats. A modem (modulator/demodulator) handles these format conversions. The modem of the sending computer converts information from digital format to an analog signal by a process called modulation. The modem of the receiving computer converts the analog signal back to digital format by a process called demodulation.
Modems also dial, establish connections, and control the flow of data across the telephone line so that transmission takes place with optimal speed
and accuracy.
Preparing for a modem connection
Before two computers can exchange data over telephone lines, their modems must establish a connection and agree on how data will be transmitted.
Your modem is already set to make the best possible connection automatically. See “Technical Specifications,” later in this manual, for a list of specifications.
Note: In general, it is best to use your modem’s automatic settings. If you want to control the speed, error control, and data compression settings yourself, see the Modem AT Command Set (a file on your hard disk) or the user’s guide that came with your data communications software.
4
Determining the speed
A modem communicates with the computer to which it is connected (by means of a cable), and with another modem (by means of a telephone line). The computer-to-modem communication speed is generally faster than the modem-to-modem speed, often considerably faster. The “advertised” modem speed, such as 33,600 bits per second (bps), is the maximum speed for modem-to-modem connections.
Initially, your modem tries to connect to another modem at its fastest speed, which is 33,600 bps. If the remote modem cannot connect at this speed or if the telephone line does not provide a completely clear connection, your modem falls back to the next highest speed. Fallback continues until the two modems agree on the highest speed supported by both using the particular telephone line connection.
IMPORTANT The actual connection speed of your modem may vary, depending on the specific telephone line in use, the quality of the connection, and other factors that affect communications.
Error control
Error control is used by modems to ensure data accuracy. Your modem and the remote modem must agree on an error control method. Your modem will try to use one of two types of error control, V.42 or MNP class 2–4. If the remote modem does not support either of these types of error control, no error control is used.
Data compression
Data compression increases the speed of your modem by eliminating gaps and redundancies in the data. With data compression enabled, the speed can increase up to 4 times the normal speed.
Your modem can use two different types of data compression, V.42 bis or MNP class 5. If the remote modem does not support either of these types of data compression, no data compression is used.
5
Software for your modem
Your Macintosh PowerBook has modem software installed, including programs to connect to the Internet and to send and receive faxes. For instructions on using these programs, see their electronic manuals on your computer’s hard disk.
Choosing the port setting
You must specify the modem port to each communications program before you can connect to another computer by modem.
The example that follows shows how to specify the modem port in America Online (AOL), one of the programs installed on your computer’s hard disk.
Follow these steps to specify the modem port in the AOL software.
1Open AOL (on your hard disk).
2If you are new to America Online, click Continue in the dialog box that appears. If you have an AOL account already, click Upgrade.
3Follow the instructions on the screen to set up an AOL account or to upgrade your current AOL account.
When you finish setting up your AOL account, the AOL Welcome window is on your screen.
4Click Setup in the Welcome window.
6
The Location window opens, like the one below.
5In the Port pop-up menu, choose Internal Modem.
6In the Type pop-up menu, choose PowerBook G3 Internal 33.6.
7In the Speed pop-up menu, choose 57600.
Always choose the highest speed available. This is the speed at which the computer communicates with the modem.
8Click Save.
Now the AOL software is ready to use with your modem.
IMPORTANT You must repeat this procedure—specifying the modem port— for each communications program you plan to use with the modem.
7
Loading...