PowerBook G3 Internal Modem Setup Guide

Setting up your modem's connections

The PowerBook G3 Internal Modem is already installed in your PowerBook. To use the modem you need

the single-line telephone cord supplied with your PowerBook, which has a two-wire RJ-11 connector at each end

an analog telephone line with a modular jack

(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.

1 Open 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 or Ethernet card Label showing icon for card

The label for the combination Ethernet/internal modem card shows the two icons illustrated below. (Some models of the PowerBook have an Ethernet-only card, which does not provide a modem connection.)

↔/ぐ

Ethernet/modem card label

2 Locate 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.

3 Plug 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

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.

Telephone connector Ethernet connector Y-adapter

4 Plug 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.

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