HackerTube

Sound of the dialup modem explained

bialasiczekCited 3× on HN, 2017–2025
YouTube
explainer · general · evergreen · 2017–2025 on HN

A short animation that pairs the sound of a dialup modem handshake with a graphic explaining what each phase of the sound means.

Shared in dial-up nostalgia threads as a way to both hear and understand the handshake.

3 comments from Hacker News

@tcbawo2025-12 · in “Dialtone – AOL 3.0 Server”

The dial tone was prior to dialing. Upon connection, there was an audible sound from the modem handshake. Through some google searches, I came across this recording: ▶ this video

@gregsadetsky2025-08 · in “Dial-up Internet to be discontinued”

I like this explanatory graphic (after many many years of listening to the dialup sounds) - link And this version combining the graphic and the sound used to make the graphic: ▶ this video And this alternative version (h/t @Kye): link

@muxator2017-11 · in “The sound of the dialup, pictured (2012)”

3d spectrogram: link Animation of the picture illustrated in this article: ▶ this video If you live with someone >= 30, turn up the volume and wait for him/her to appear at the door for a nostalgia moment...