The Motorola SM56 Data Fax Modem is a hardware device designed to allow computers to connect to the internet via a dial-up connection, as well as send and receive faxes. It was commonly used in older desktop and laptop systems before broadband internet became widespread. The SM56 refers to the modem's ability to handle speeds of up to 56 kbps (kilobits per second) for both data and fax transmissions.