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Every home is connected nowadays, which requires having access to the internet. This is through an Internet Service Provider (ISP), along with a subscription plan that unlocks monthly access. You can sign up for different packages, which offer different speeds and capabilities based on availability in your area. With some ISPs, this is bundled with TV service as well. But what hardware do you need? Both a modem and a router are necessary, and they perform very different functions.
Put simply, a modem is provided by your ISP, and it works as the conduit to access the internet. A router, however, is the device that connects to the modem and broadcasts the wireless signal throughout the home so that all your connected devices can, well, connect. Unless you are using a single device connected directly to the modem via an Ethernet cable, every household will need both. And a good, newer model router can help improve your Wi-Fi speeds.
How a modem works
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A modem, which stands for modulator-demodulator, is a small boxy device your ISP provides once you sign up. It gives you access to their network and servers, so you can access the internet. In the early days of the internet, a modem was connected to a phone line. The dial-up connection with that signature tone is what got you online. Usually, if a phone call came through, however, the person calling would hear a busy tone, which was a frustrating annoyance. Later, you had the capability to connect a modem directly to your computer to ensure more seamless access. But times have changed drastically since then.
Now, everything works over broadband. So, your modem connects to the internet using a cable that runs outside of the house, receiving the internet signal from your provider and converting it for use in the home. For cable, fixed, wireless, satellite, or fiber internet, the cable leads to the appropriate connection outside. With DSL internet, it will connect to a phone line. From there, voila! You have internet. But the only way to connect your devices is through an Ethernet cable plugged into the modem on one end and the device on the other. That is, unless you have a router.
What a router does
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As the name implies, a router literally routes the internet signal so wireless devices can access it. Usually another boxy device, the latest models among the best WiFi routers are quite stylish. It connects directly to the modem and works like a wireless hub to transmit a signal to connect everything in the home, like laptops, smart TVs, smart lights, and speakers. Think of the modem as being a megaphone and the router as the voice that speaks through it so everyone can hear.
When setting up a router, it’s important to add a network password since it’s broadcasting your Wi-Fi signal, so anyone or any device within range can access it. Along with a single standalone router, some great mesh systems are useful for larger homes, bigger families with lots of devices, or homes with “dead” spots where internet access is usually spotty. They include separate nodes or satellites that wirelessly communicate with the router to boost the signal.
The latest generation routers are Wi-Fi 7, but most average homes can make do with a Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E router like the Google Nest WiFi Pro 6E, provided you have devices that can take advantage of the faster speeds and better latency. But for anyone who has more than a single device that they want to connect, an upgraded router with bands beyond 2.4GHz is essential, alongside the necessary modem. You can find plenty of routers from top brands like TP-Link, Linksys, ASUS, and others.
