Modem removal in PPC Macs

[mectojic]

This is a comprehensive question, as I couldn't find an answer online.

Most PPC Macs (at least, the ones with easily accessible motherboards) have old 56k modems that are typically easily removable. They're basically useless now- I don't think anyone has a for them anymore, right?

With that said, is there any harm in removing them, for any Mac (eg G4s, Pismo)? It would remove a bit of volume from the internals, which might improve... cooling, for example? Also, my B&W wouldn't boot OS9 until I removed the modem, which was strange.

The only problem I can imagine with removing the modem is that it might allow more dust to get into the machine, but if you covered up the port, it shouldn't matter anyway.

Is there some collecting/authenticity value in keeping modems in, or does it not matter?

 

[Doq]

I personally don't care. It might be more viable for cooling as you said, particularly in laptops. Though, the only Mac that I have with a(n easily) removable modem is in my Beige MT, and cooling improvements would be.... superficial at best.

I hope you'll be fine with having large holes in your Mac, though.

 

[wnlewis]

If you can find a card that fits in that space and gives you serial port capability you can actually use the older ADB and serial port printers. I was able to find such a card and the software for my Sawtooth G4 (AGP). Since I do have that sort of older peripherals and no longer have dialup, the trade was worthwhile. The exchange is not too difficult, but does require some patience.

 

[onre]

I would be somewhat miffed at buying a 20 year old computer from which an original part has been removed for exactly no reason. Something like a potentially leaking battery is a different story. Also, I know of people doing dial-up stuff for fun as a part of the retrocomputing hobby.

 

[B S Magnet]

This is a comprehensive question, as I couldn't find an answer online.

Most PPC Macs (at least, the ones with easily accessible motherboards) have old 56k modems that are typically easily removable. They're basically useless now- I don't think anyone has a for them anymore, right?

With that said, is there any harm in removing them, for any Mac (eg G4s, Pismo)? It would remove a bit of volume from the internals, which might improve... cooling, for example? Also, my B&W wouldn't boot OS9 until I removed the modem, which was strange.

The only problem I can imagine with removing the modem is that it might allow more dust to get into the machine, but if you covered up the port, it shouldn't matter anyway.

Is there some collecting/authenticity value in keeping modems in, or does it not matter?

No, there is no harm. But I’m with @Doq here: I don’t care if a used old Mac I pick up comes without the 56K modem.

The PowerBook G4 A1138 I bought in 2019, very used (for the low, low price of $25), did not have the OEM 56K modem inside it, and the port hole where the RJ11 would have been is, well, just a hole. If I was to plan to treat that PowerBook like some kind of antique/collector trophy piece, there is generally no shortage of spare modem parts out there.

On my iBook G3 clamshell, I removed the 56K modem components entirely back during my 2018 overhaul, and I have been planning (planning, not actually doing yet, because I am le tired, and also, some delicate soldering I keep kicking down the street) to drop in a 4-port USB hub in its place (from which I would be able to connect permanent dongles for stuff like Bluetooth, 802.11n wifi, and audio-in, utilizing the now-empty hole for the old RJ11 for the audio-in port location). The hub, removed from its original enclosure, is just under the size of the original modem card, so once I actually set out to getting that installed and working, it should fit in there just fine.