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Is a optical network terminal (ONT) a modem? (hexbear.net)

submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by trompete@hexbear.net to c/technology@hexbear.net

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Definition given by Wikipedia:

A modulator-demodulator, commonly referred to as a modem, is a computer hardware device that converts data from a digital format into a format suitable for an analog transmission medium such as telephone or radio. A modem transmits data by modulating one or more carrier wave signals to encode digital information, while the receiver demodulates the signal to recreate the original digital information.

So fiber optics are not analog, but then again, neither are modern phone lines that use VoIP. No analog (as in analogous to sound waves) signal goes over them, both ends are permanently connected to modems. Yet it's still called a modem.

I think that turning a laser on and off can technically be described as modulating a carrier wave, so that part of the definition fits.

The ONT is fulfilling the same function as a modem, except the medium is a fiber optic cable instead of a copper one, so that makes me want to call it a modem by analogy. An electric burner doesn't burn anything either.

Thoughts?

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[–] krolden@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 week ago (3 children)

It's not really dialing anything it's just doing light to copper

Generally your router will handle the actual protocol level talk with the ISPs servers. However there are instances like with the ATT ONT which is actually integrated into a router device that they provide. Some ISPs still use ancient stuff like PPPoE to accomplish this.

Cable modems are labeled modems but really they're just RF to ethernet translators. The term modem has been used to describe almost any modern gateway device that isn't actually doing any routing or anything on top of the actual linking between your devices and the ISPs network.

I'm not a really low level network engineer, so I could be wrong about some of this. However I only consider something a 'modem' if it speaks AT (like a dial up or cellular modem)

[–] trompete@hexbear.net 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Apart from cable modems and wireless modems, DSL modems are also called modems, and they don't do AT. Pretty sure that modems, and the word modem, are much older than the AT commands. I do grant you "modem" at one point was almost synonymous with a dial-up modem that understood AT.

[–] peeonyou@hexbear.net 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

people get modems confused with a concept of anything that uses a dial-tone.

anything that is modulating and demodulating is by definition a modem.

so with respect to that, an ONT is a modem as it is modulating and demodulating light signals and electrical signals.

[–] krolden@lemmy.ml 2 points 6 days ago

Gotcha thanks

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