modem
part of speech
noun (a modem, modems)
meaning for a pupil
1) A box or device that connects a computer or home network to the internet through a phone line, cable or fibre. tree →
2) Often, at home, the same box as the router that makes the Wi-Fi. tree →
sense in the lessons
In computing lessons the modem is the link between your home and the internet provider: data goes from the computer to the router, to the modem, and out along the line. Old modems made screeching noises when they dialled up. Everyday: «turn the modem off and on again» is a common fix when the internet is down. Phrases: «reset the modem», «the modem lights», «modem and router».
examples
- The internet stopped, so Dad switched the modem off and on again. tree →
- The modem has blinking green lights. tree →
- Our modem is plugged into the phone socket. tree →
- In the old days modems made a squealing sound when they connected. tree →
- The modem and router are in one box in our hallway. tree →
- A modem turns computer signals into signals that can travel along a cable. tree →
- The engineer came to fit a new fibre modem. tree →
note
Countable: a modem, modems. The name comes from «modulator–demodulator». Common confusion: a modem connects to the internet, while a router shares the connection between devices (Wi-Fi); many homes have one box doing both. Stress on the first syllable: MO-dem.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «modem» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.