No doubt, you’ve heard about modems and routers but never took the time to understand what they really are. Well, we’re here to help you and resolve this issue from your life.
Briefly, a router generates a network for the computer in your room, which means a router connects devices to WiFi. On the other hand, modems are devices that connect to the internet.
What does a modem do?
A modem is a device that connects the source of your Internet from the Internet Service Provider and your house network, using different sorts of materials such as fiber optics from FIOS, Comcast, satellite such as direct TV, or a dial-up phone connection.
These devices are connected to the router or directly to the computer using an Ethernet cable and are different for each type of service, which furthermore are not interchangeable. The device does not create a local network and is compatible specifically with the ISP.
Modems decode the signal from an ISP as this ISP rents these devices for subscription and then is entitled to a monthly fee. However, these cable modems are not costly, and the prices are only around 10 dollars each month.
What does a router do?
A router creates a local network, which in other words can also be termed as a private network in your house, office, or a business like a coffee shop, and you can connect to the WiFi, i.e., to the local router.
Routers provide the facility to split the internet connection of IP, for example, of 192.168.l.254 router IP address to several devices and run a firewall. Another specification of the router is that it can even connect to a VPN. It can hide your internet connection and your local network at times.
Moreover, the router can protect your device from exposure to ISP; however, it not directly connects with the internet.
Combined router and modem
Some service network providers or internet service providers offer devices which consist, a modem and a router as a single device. The device contains specific software and electronics in it to provide both functions in which the modem communicates with the ISP and functions as a router to create a home network.
The Conclusion
If you only need to connect a single computer to the internet with a wire, then the best device you could use is a modem. There can never be a case where you can only use a router as a modem needs to be present to decode the signal from your ISP.
When you are looking for a speedup of your network, then these router’s are the device in which you should be focusing on. A combination of both the devices is not usually the best option because if one collapses, then the whole thing is useless. But in most of the cases, if you are not the one with most latest and greatest tech kind of guy, then going for the combo modem and router is efficient.
