what does a modem do. should it be replaced if pc is slow?

Answer 1

Description of a modem
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/184068

If your computer is running slow - there can be many common causes:
1. If you are using dialup, it will be slow - which is why I switched to cable.
2. You may not have enough memory. Try these easy fixes to free up what you have:

1. Set wallpaper and screensavers to blank or none — they run continuously in the background and use memory.
-----right-click on the desktop, select Properties
-----click the screensaver tab, on the left where it says "screensaver," select none.
-----click the desktop tab, for background, select none
2. Review your start menu – remove anything you don’t need on a daily basis — load games, etc. on an as-needed basis.
-----click Start, Settings, Taskbar and Start Menu
-----click the Start Menu tab
-----select a program you do not want to load at Startup, then click remove.
-----Caution -- do not touch anything you are not sure of or you will mess up your computer royally.
3. From Internet Explorer, click Tools, Internet Options: delete cookies, delete files (offline), and clear history. (You can also set days to store history to 0.)
----- These actions will clear your computer’s cache. (For a description of cache, go to http://help.yahoo.com/l/ph/yahoo/mail/access/access-27210.html )
4. Run Disk Cleanup, Scandisk, Defrag at least every two weeks (the more frequently they are run, the less time they take).
-----These can be found in Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools.
5. Periodically, click Start, Programs, Run — then type ipconfig renew
(that’s ipconfig space renew).
6. Optional: Speed vs Goodies — in the Control Panel, System, Advanced, Performance, Settings — you can have visual effects or let Windows select the best options. I am using “Best Performance.” Your choice.
These things should increase speed and free up memory as much as possible.

Answer 2

technically, a modem "MOdulates" and "DEModulates". It takes information from one computer, changes it into something it can transfer to get to your computer, and then it Demodulates when it gets to your computer, so the computer can read the information.

In other words, a modem is the thing that supplies you with your internet.

If your computer is slow, it is not directly because of your modem. Your computer could be slow because you've downloaded a virus (and how could you download it if you have no internet?) or you could just be running out of memory or hard drive space on your computer, or your computer could just be old and you've grown used to the faster processor computers at work.

If your pc is slow, it doesn't have anything to do with your modem. Replacing it for that reason would be a waste.

Answer 3

Modem,,connects you to the internet,it speaks with ur ISP,56 k modem is standard 4 dialup ,and is not responsible about how slow ur pc is,
Change UR RAM

Answer 4

A modem (MOdulator/DEModulator) converts analog signals to digital signals and vice versa.....it provides you with internet.

So no replacing it will not help your PC's speed.

To speed up your computer you can try:
*Use Disk Cleanup
*Defrag your computer
*Run error checking
*Do an antivirus check

http://www.microsoft.com/atwork/getstart...
Instructions on how to do each one =)

If all else fails, you could try adding more RAM.

Good luck =)