138 Enhancing Productivity
Exchanging data with another computer
Setting up for communications
In order to connect to the Internet, use an online service, or
communicate across the telephone lines with another computer,
you need:
❖A modem (one comes with your Satellite Pro® 6100 Series
computer)
❖A telephone line
❖A browser or communications program
❖An Internet Service Provider (ISP) or online service if you
plan to use the Internet
Determining the COM port
Your modem is connected to one of the computer’s COM
(communications) ports. The default setting for the modem is
COM3.
The following procedure is intended to support you if you need to
either upgrade your modem or reset the port to the default settings.
DEFINITION: Although the terms are often used
interchangeably, the serial port and COM port are really two
different things. The serial port is the physical port on the
back of the computer. The COM port is a unique identifier the
computer uses to communicate with the serial port or other
serial devices.
If you’re having trouble connecting through the modem, you may
need to determine the current COM port name and possibly
change it.
To find out which port your modem is connected to:
1Open the Start menu, click Control Panel.
2Click Phone and Modem Options.