Modems

Modems can be set up in three basic configurations:

• Dial-out

• Dial-in

• Bidirectional

A modem connected to your home computer might be set up to provide dial-out service, meaning you can access other computers from your own home, but nobody outside can gain access to your machine.

Dial-in service is just the opposite. It allows people to access a system from remote sites, but it does not permit calls to the outside world.

Bidirectional access, as the name implies, provides both dial-in and dial-out capabilities.