Cable modems modulate and demodulate data signals and are very much like voice-band modems which offer Internet access via a 28.8–, 33.6–, or 56–kbps modem. However, cable modems offer more functionality making them more suitable for today's high-speed Internet services.

In a cable network, data from the network to the user is referred to as downstream, whereas data from the user to the network is referred to as upstream. From a user perspective, a cable modem is a 64/256 QAM RF receiver capable of delivering up to 30 to 40 Mbps of data in one 6-MHz cable channel. This is approximately 500 times faster than a typical 56–kbps modem. Data from a user to the network is sent in a flexible and programmable system under control of the headend. The data is modulated using a QPSK/16 QAM transmitter with data rates from 320 kbps up to 10 Mbps. The upstream and downstream data rates may be flexibly configured using cable modems to match subscriber needs. For instance, a business service can be programmed to receive/transmit higher bandwidth. A residential user, however, may be configured to receive higher bandwidth access to the Internet while limited to low bandwidth transmission to the network.

How Cable Modems Work

Internet Cable and Television Cable

How Data is Transmitted