What is the difference between modem and router?

Answer 1

In easy terms.........the modem connects you to the internet, the router routes the internet connection to you or other computers in your network.

Answer 2

These are very different devices!

A Modem (MOdulator/DEModulator) is a device for communicating digital information using an analog format. It takes the ones and zeros from the computer and modulates them into an analog waveform that can travel on your phone line. It also receives an analog signal and demodulates it back into ones and zeros. This happens on both ends, and allows computers to talk using old analog phone lines.

Now you're thinking, what about a cable modem? Well, it's not really a modem at all - it's dealing entirely in digital traffic, so no modulating or demodulating is required. However, since this device topographically sits in the same place your modem would have (between the router or computer and the external network connection), they named it such for ease of transition into a new era of connectivity. At any rate, a Cable or DSL modem is designed simply to convert the incoming data signal into a standard Ethernet connection that can plug straight into your computer, or into a router.

Now a Router on the other hand performs an entirely different function. It's more of a traffic cop, directing traffic where it's supposed to go, and translating it between different networks. See, your modem is just a converter - it takes a DSL or Cable signal and converts it into an Ethernet connection. So you need a Router to take that single connection and spread it out so multiple computers can use that one external connection to get to the Internet. It translates the internal traffic from several computers and determines where it needs to go - to another computer or perhaps a printer internally, or translated and sent to the modem. It also determines where incoming traffic should go - which computer made teh request for what it's receiving, and directs it appropriately.

I hope that helps!

Answer 3

A modem is what you use to connect to the internet. With only a modem you can only connect 1 computer to the internet at a time. But by using a router you can hook-up typically 4 computers to the same connection and use all 4 of those at the same time. But you can in effect hook up hundreds to one by just adding more routers to each router, but that would slow your system up.

Answer 4

Nowadays internet modems and routers can be integrated into one unit, but more commonly they're separate.

Modems are divided into old telephone modems (true modulators-demodulators) and new modems for DSL and cable (which aren't true modems). Modem basically takes cares of the connection between your computer and the remote server, and nothing else.

Routers are much more intelligent than modems, but they usually can't connect to remote servers by themselves. Routers are like miniature computers because they have a tiny operating system and can be told to run certain programs, such a firewall. They also enable you to connect to other PC in your local network (but not a remote internet server) inside your office or house.

Answer 5

A modem (modulator-demodulator) allows your computer to connect to the Internet. A router allows sharing across a network. At my home, I have a very small wireless network. My modem plugs into a router that allows wireless access to the Internet. Wireless cards in my desktop and laptop communicate with the router.

Answer 6

To understand the difference between a modem and a router, you need to understand several different, but related, devices. The individual devices are (1) an ADSL modem; (2) a router; (3) a switch; and (4) a wireless access point (WAP).

It becomes confusing because there are combination devices which can combine both an ADSL modem and a router in the one case as well as devices which can combine an ADSL modem, a router and a switch all in the one case!

What is an ADSL modem

An ADSL modem is a device that transmits and receives data over the plain old telephone system's (POTS) analogue lines. It allows your PC to connect to your ISP using the Internet Protocol. The modem acts as a "bridge" between your PC and your ISP. The dynamic or static public IP address which your modem obtains from your ISP is passed on to your PC. Your ADSL modem forwards packets based on hardware level MAC addresses between your ISP's router (and the Internet) and your PC.

What is a router?

A router is a device which acts as an interface between two networks. It forwards packets based on network level addresses (Internet Protocol addresses in this case) between your ISP's router and either your LAN or your single PC. A router learns more about the networks to which it is connected and can be more selective about the packets it passes on. A router rejects packets unless they match predefined attributes (eg specific protocols or destination network addresses). A router can also select the best route for packets to take in large interconnected networks. For a more detailed look at how routers work, check out this link at the How Stuff Works web site.

What is a switch?

An Ethernet/LAN switch creates a virtual network between two networked devices for the duration of the data transfer. This is unlike a hub which forwards all received data to all connected devices, even though the data may be destined for just one of those devices. A switch learns the association between the MAC addresses of connected devices and its switched ports. By sending data only to where it needs to go, a switch reduces the amount of data on the network, thereby increasing the overall performance of the connected devices. A switch also improves security, since data is not broadcast to every connected device, but only to the device for which it is destined, it cannot be monitored by other connected devices. For a more detailed look at how switches work, check out this link at the How Stuff Works web site.

What is a WAP?

A Wireless Access Point (WAP) is a 'base station' device that connects a wired Ethernet network to a wireless network (WLAN) comprising one or more wireless devices. While very small WLANs can function without a WAP in "ad hoc" or "peer-to-peer" mode, WAPs support "infrastructure" mode which bridges WLANs with a wired Ethernet network and also scales the network to support more clients.

There a few different types of WAP: (1) Bridges ? connect devices that all use the same kind of protocol; (2) Hubs ? provide networking connections to a variety of clients and add features like roaming; (3) Routers ? connect networks that use different protocols; and (4) Gateways - provide additional features such as NAT, DHCP servers and firewalls.

Surely there cannot be more ...

Yes, there is more! Some ADSL modem manufacturers have started adding features to their modems which are normally only found in routers or combined ADSL modem/routers. Such features include:

• Inbuilt PPPoX login clients - so that you do not have to setup separate PPPoX login client software on your PC and can maintain a connection even if you turn your PC off; and

• Network Address Translation (NAT) - but for a very limited number of PCs (eg only 2 PCs, whereas if you were using a router which does NAT you would be able to do it for up to 253 PCs).

Pluses and minuses of the combined approach

Pluses for the combined modem/router and modem/router/switch devices are that you only have to find a home for one plugpack, you do not lose half your desk space to three new boxes and that there are fewer cables for you to have to hide out of sight or otherwise manage.

Minuses for the combined approach is that if any one of the devices in the combined unit malfunctions, you will have to return the whole unit to the manufacturer or, if your unit is no longer under warranty, you will have to replace the whole unit. You might find this a little inconvenient :-) It may also be more expensive to replace a combined unit than replacing an individual device. If you want to replace one of the devices (eg upgrade your modem to ADSL2+, upgrade your WAP to 802.11g etc), you have to replace the whole combined unit which, again, will generally be more expensive. It may also be more difficult to troubleshoot an all-in-one device - with separate units you can physically remove one or more from the equation and isolte the problem more quickly.

Answer 7

Modem : A device for transmitting usually digital data over telephone wires by modulating the data into an audio signal to send it and demodulating an audio signal into data to receive it.

Router : A network device that forwards packets from one network to another. Based on internal routing tables, routers read each incoming packet and decide how to forward it. To which interface on the router outgoing packets are sent may be determined by any combination of source and destination address as well as current traffic conditions (load, line costs, bad lines, etc.).

Answer 8

A modem connects you to the internet, a router connects you to a local area network.

Answer 9

a modem is your connection to the internet through your isp. a router is a way of taking that signal and sharing it with other computers. it will also let all the computers on your network communicate with each other, if configured properly. those are the basics.

Answer 10

Think of it like when you go into a restaurant. The hostess is like a router. She determines which table you sit at and who will serve you. A modem is like a waitress and cook. The waitress takes your order to the cook, then brings you the food. A modem sends messages to remote servers and takes their information back to your computer.