The router used in home and small networks is more accurately called a residential gateway, but you’ll never see these devices called that.
What Is a Router For?
A router is the first line of security from intrusion into a network. Enabling the highest level of security on the router turns on things like the firewall, and is the best way to keep your computer system and information safe from attack. Most routers connect to other network devices only with network cables and don’t require drivers to operate in Windows or other operating systems. However, routers that connect to a computer with a USB or FireWire typically require drivers to operate correctly. Routers often act as the DHCP servers in small networks, issuing unique IP addresses. Most routers are manufactured by companies like Linksys, 3Com, Belkin, D-Link, Motorola, TRENDnet, and Cisco, but there are many others. Routers come in many shapes and sizes, as you can see below:
How Routers Work
Routers connect a modem—like a fiber, cable, or DSL modem—to other devices to allow communication between those devices and the internet. Most routers, including wireless routers, usually feature several network ports to connect numerous devices to the internet simultaneously. A router typically connects physically, using a network cable, to the modem via the internet or WAN port and then physically, again through a network cable, to the network interface card in whatever wired network devices you have. A wireless router can connect using various wireless standards to devices that also support the particular standard used. The IP address assigned to the WAN or internet connection is a public IP address. The IP address assigned to the local network connection is a private IP address. The private IP address assigned to a router is usually the default gateway for the various devices on the network. Wireless routers, and wired routers with multiple connections, also act as simple network switches allowing the devices to communicate with each other. For example, several computers connected to a router can be configured to share files and printers among each other. Routers are like small computers, with a CPU and memory to deal with incoming and outgoing data. Different software, such as DD-WRT, can be loaded on the router, much like an operating system on a computer. A router operates on the Network layer (layer 3) of the OSI model and uses routing tables to understand where traffic is coming from and where it should go.
Managing a Router
There will most likely come a time where you need to make changes to how your network works. This is done by accessing the software on the router. A few reasons you need to connect to your home router as an administrator might be if you want to:
Change your Wi-Fi router’s login password Encrypt your wireless network Set up port forwarding Change your Wi-Fi password Change the SSID (Wi-Fi name) on your router Upgrade your router’s firmware
Some other common tasks related to managing a router involve restarting the router and completely resetting the home network router’s software.
Buying a Router
There are several things to consider before picking the right wireless router, such as how fast it needs to be to support your internet speed and devices, as well as its power to ensure that all your devices can receive internet access. For example, maybe you’re buying a Wi-Fi router to serve lots of devices, like gaming consoles, computers, tablets, and phones. If your house is small, you might be able to get away with one router, whereas larger homes or businesses with several rooms might be better off with a mesh network or a range extender. See these best-of lists if you’re having trouble deciding on a new router:
Best Long-Range Routers Best Secure Routers Best Routers for Under $50 Best Budget Routers Best Gaming Routers Best Wireless Travel Routers Best Parental Control Routers Best VPN-Enabled Routers
Mobile Wi-Fi hotspots are similar to routers because they connect multiple devices to the same internet connection.
