Chapter Summary

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The following points summarize the key concepts in this chapter:

Printers

• The three most commonly encountered types of printers are dot-matrix, ink-jet, and laser printers.
• As a computer technician, you can expect to encounter printing problems on a regular basis.
• Most printer problems can be resolved quickly by checking for paper jams, expended consumables, or improper use.
• The key components of a laser printer are its power supply, photosensitive drum, eraser lamp, primary corona, laser, transfer corona, and fuser.

Modems

• Modems convert parallel digital data to and from serial analog data.
• Modem speeds are based on bps (bits per second).
• CCITT (now ITU-T) establishes standards for modem communication.
• AT commands are used to manually communicate with and test a modem.
• Modems can be installed internally or externally.
• The primary modem problem is IRQ conflicts.

Cables and Connectors

• There are many different types of computer cables and connectors. It is important for the computer technician to be able to identify each of them.
• Distinguishing between a male or a female connector is often the key to identifying the connector's function.
• Loose or poorly connected cables are often the cause of computer problems.