Pretty much the question. I heard about Usenet a while back but never managed to wrap my head around it.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      610 months ago

      No I meant do analog modems use tones to transmit information, or how does it work?

      Like what is the process of “dial with a modem to connect to the net”.

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        English
        1110 months ago

        Modem is short for modulator/demodulator. It took a data stream and encoded it onto tones, multiple (audible) frequencies were used to increase data rates. You had to dial in to either a server, another computer, or an ISP. If you picked up the phone you would hear what sounded like white noise.

        I lost many a download, or ‘online’ game to my mother picking up the phone to make a phone call.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          410 months ago

          That’s very clear, thanks. I remember reading about the original phreakers, one guy had perfect pitch so he could just sing the tone to open a long distance line and then dial away. I think he got sued by one of the American phone companies for stealing.

          • @[email protected]
            link
            fedilink
            English
            510 months ago

            There are some amazing stories about the cat and mouse games regarding phone phreaking. The “captain crunch whistle” is great. All their attempts at security, beaten by a bit of audible brute force, via a cereal box toy.

      • Fuck spez
        link
        fedilink
        English
        710 months ago

        Think of it like a “fast”, automated telegraph that speaks in audible binary instead of Morse code.

          • Fuck spez
            link
            fedilink
            English
            210 months ago

            It might actually be hexadecimal or some other encoding but you get the point.