Modem-MIB

MIB Reference — IPNetwork Monitor · Updated October 06, 2026

All MIBs › Modem-MIB

Organization: IETF Modem Management Working Group

Last Updated: 1994-06-12

Category: Network Interfaces

Description: Defines managed objects for monitoring and controlling dial-up modems, covering modem identification, line interface, call control, and data compression.

IPNetwork Monitor uses several OIDs from this MIB in network discovery and polling the applicable devices. Start monitoring Modem-MIB with a free 30-day trial of IPNetwork Monitor.

What Is Modem-MIB?

Modem-MIB is a standards-based IETF MIB module for managing and monitoring dial-up modems, covering modem identification, line interface, call control, and data compression. It exposes configuration and status data such as manufacturer/product identification, line state (e.g., carrier detect, connected/idle), carrier-loss timing, and modem capability negotiation options. Its monitoring value lies in tracking device operational status -- specifically line state and carrier-loss events, which indicate whether a modem's connection is up, degraded, or has dropped -- functioning as a fault/status indicator for dial-up hardware rather than exposing CPU/temperature-style metrics. As a vendor-neutral IETF standard, it is designed to be implemented consistently across different modem manufacturers, often alongside vendor-specific extension MIBs (indicated by mdmIDManufacturerOID). It is typically deployed in legacy dial-up remote access or backup-link environments where modems provide connectivity and operators need to track line status and connection stability via SNMP. Engineers implementing or auditing this functionality typically reference the Modem-MIB RFC/standard documentation for the authoritative specification.

IPNetwork Monitor allows you to monitor SNMP objects defined in Modem-MIB. Use the built-in SNMP Monitoring Browser to explore available variables, view their current values and descriptions, and select the objects you want to monitor. You can then create SNMP monitors, configure thresholds, and receive alerts when monitored values change.

Supported Devices

  • vendor-neutral, standards-based MIB, not tied to a specific manufacturer
  • applies to dial-up modems generally

Monitoring Examples

An administrator would poll mdmLineTable, indexed via mdmLineEntry, to read mdmLineState and mdmLineCarrierLossTime for a given modem identified in mdmIDTable by mdmIDManufacturerOID and mdmIDProductDetails. A rising mdmLineCarrierLossTime or a line state transitioning away from a connected value would reveal a dropped or unstable dial-up connection, prompting investigation of the physical line or remote-end modem. mdmLineCapabilitiesTable would be checked to confirm negotiated capabilities match expectations for the link.

What Can Be Monitored

  • modem line state (connected/idle/carrier)
  • carrier loss duration
  • modem manufacturer/product identification
  • modem line capabilities negotiated
Imported Objects

From RFC1213-MIB

mib-2

From SNMPv2-CONF

MODULE-COMPLIANCE
OBJECT-GROUP

From SNMPv2-SMI

Counter32
Integer32
MODULE-IDENTITY
OBJECT-IDENTITY
OBJECT-TYPE

From SNMPv2-TC

DisplayString

How to Use in IPNetwork Monitor

Example using mdmStatsRingNoAnswers OID:

Select a device implementing Modem-MIB as the target host to create a monitor — the SNMP service should be up and running on it. Click New Monitor, then check SNMP Custom on the Favorites tab, click Next, and confirm the host. On the next page, click Select... to open the built-in SNMP MIB Browser and type mdmStatsRingNoAnswers into the Find box to locate it in the OID tree, selecting the specific row/instance you want to monitor since this is a table column, then select it and click OK. The number of events in which ringing was detected but the call was not answered. On the monitor's Main parameters page you can set the target's SNMP port (default 161), credentials, polling interval, and other settings — see the SNMP Monitor help for details. On the State conditions and Alerting tabs, configure when the monitor should change state and trigger an alert; since this is a Counter32-type OID, Value bounds is the most useful condition here — trigger an alert if the counter increases sharply between polls relative to its normal baseline, since an unexpected spike often reflects a real change in traffic or activity. Click Finish to create the monitor; you can adjust any parameter later.
OIDs

RFC description

IETF standard MIB for dial-up modem management covering configuration, call control, and line interface monitoring.

Start monitoring Vendor-neutral IETF standard (dial-up modem) with a free 30-day trial of IPNetwork Monitor. Import MIBs, browse SNMP OIDs, create custom SNMP monitors, configure alerts, and monitor any SNMP-enabled network device from a single console.

Download Modem-MIB