![]() Routers connect devices across multiple networks. Routers work at the network layer and are responsible to find the shortest path for a packet, whereas Modems connect a device like desktop, laptop to the Internet. Both Routers and Modems are network connecting devices. If they do, they are easy to troubleshoot and fix. Computer Engineering Computer Network Differences. ![]() Having both provides better internet connectivity and rarely breaks down. As a result, your network will be slow.įrom an economic point of view, it’s recommended that you buy a router and a modem separately. For instance, the router component in the combo is less powerful and has fewer features than a standalone router. It is easy to install, takes up less space, and makes them more profit because they get to rent it to you. Most internet service providers advise you to use a modem router combo. Should You Buy a Router and a Modem Separately? After all, most internet service providers will give you a device that serves both as a router and a modem or commonly known as a modem router combo. If you find it hard to choose between these two devices, don’t fret. Having both allows you to connect multiple devices to the internet. Therefore, it is safe to say that you need both a modem and a router if you want Wi-Fi in your home. However, this usually isn’t the case because a home or office network comprises multiple devices that need to access the internet. Instead, you can plug that device’s network cable into the modem and directly access the internet. You technically don’t need a router if you have one device on your network. Using the address, you can control the network properties of each device, such as access and bandwidth, through your router’s settings.Ī typical router will have a switch and multiple ports so your devices can all connect to the internet. And that’s where an IP address comes in.Īn IP address is a unique number that identifies every device on the network, helping the router to distribute the internet signal correctly. With multiple devices connected and needing to communicate, a router requires a mechanism to identify each device on the network. When multiple devices are connected to the same router, they form a network called the Local Area Network (LAN). This can be pretty inconvenient because it will render devices such as mobile phones and computers immobile. Without it, you’ll need to connect your device directly to the modem using an ethernet cable for internet access. You can take the modem's Ethernet cable that usually goes to your router and plug it into a PC instead.Usually, a router is connected to the modem via an ethernet cable. In fact, there's nothing stopping you from plugging your computer directly into the modem. But wait what's stopping you from directly attaching a computer to the modem? If it's a digital signal, surely your computer can understand it without the need for a router? When You Don't Need a RouterĪs we covered above, modems convert a signal into digital format, then pass it onto a router. This would be installed in your home and decodes the light signals for you. ![]() However, if you're lucky enough to have a fiber-optic connection directly to your home (known as 'Fiber-to-the-Home', or FTTH), you should have a little box called an Optical Network Unit (ONU) somewhere. As such, you need a modem to translate the data coming down the cable. If your fiber optic connection goes to a nearby utility box (Fiber-to-the-Curb, FTTC) or a neighborhood hub (Fiber-to-the-Node, FTTN), either copper or phone cables will cover the remaining distance to your home.
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