What is the difference between a modem and a router?

[eleanori]

[MODERATOR EDIT: Wow - you're piggybacking on a post from 2004! Let's leave this old post be and start a new topic. Split and moved to appropriate forum. -Paul]

What is the difference between a modem and a router? Can a router work also as a modem? If so, does that applies to EVERY router? For example, can the Netgear WPN824 router be used as a modem as well?
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[ppietro]

What is the difference between a modem and a router? Can a router work also as a modem? If so, does that applies to EVERY router? For example, can the Netgear WPN824 router be used as a modem as well?

A modem would be a device that allows you to send data over some other type of wiring. MODEM stands for modulator/demodulator, and was initially used to transmit computer data over phone voice lines. Nowadays, the most common type of modems are DSLs and Cable modems. These devices allow you to transmit data over copper phone trunk lines (DSL) and copper & fiber optic television connections (Cable).

Most routers cannot act as modems. Some routers can be used to log in via a modem - but most routers only speak Ethernet. A modem must still be used to translate Ethernet into some other physical medium.

On the other hand, most modern modems contain some sort of router. Initially they didn't - you needed a router and a modem - but nowadays most DSL boxes are combined modems and routers. I think cable modems still require a separate router.

You can read more about it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modem
and here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Router

As for the Netgear, no - from what I can tell - it can't be used a as modem. Just a router.

Cheers,
Paul

[smith2287]

Hey ppietro
This answer very nice
I would like to know that wireless router is good solution in terms of security of network?

[ppietro]

Hey ppietro
This answer very nice
I would like to know that wireless router is good solution in terms of security of network?

Well - anytime you have a wireless network you have a security risk. You're broadcasting your network packets into the open air, so theoretically others could receive them and decode them.

You can mitigate this risk by using wireless encryption on your wireless network. You may have heard of terms like WEP and WPA - these are encryption methods for your wireless access point.

WEP is not too secure - there are ways to crack a WEP network fairly easily. Still - it can deter casual snooping. WPA is considered fairly safe, but has been replaced by WPA2.

See here for more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wired_Equivalent_Privacy
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi_Protected_Access

Personally - of the three Wireless networks I have running in my house, two are WEP and one is WPA. The WPA is a mission critical internal system - the two WEP networks are NAT'd and firewalled from the rest of my network.

Even though WEP is compromised, as long as you have firewall and anti-virus software on your computer, and you only transmit personal data via secure web connections (i.e. SSL, https, etc.), you should be fine. As long as you're aware of the risks, you can compute safely - you just need to know what you're dealing with and how you can be compromised.

Here's some further reading:
http://arstechnica.com/security/news/20 ... curity.ars

Cheers,
Paul

P.S. If you're using WEP, one of the best things to do is use Open Authentication - not Shared Key. It sounds backwards, but the wikipedia link for WEP I posted above explains why.

[eleanori]

[MODERATOR EDIT: This question is almost identical to one you posted earlier in October. We don't allow double posting here, so I've merged it into your original question. -Paul ]

What is the difference between a wireless router and a wireless modem? If I have a wireless modem, is there any need for a router? And can anyone suggest the name of a good wireless modem??

[ppietro]

[MODERATOR EDIT: This question is almost identical to one you posted earlier in October. We don't allow double posting here, so I've merged it into your original question. -Paul ]

What is the difference between a wireless router and a wireless modem? If I have a wireless modem, is there any need for a router? And can anyone suggest the name of a good wireless modem??

A wireless modem is a device you would use to connect to an internet service - exactly like a cable modem or DSL - but it would connect wirelessly instead of via copper wiring.

See photos and explanation here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_modem

These would be devices that, for instance, plug into your laptop and let you connect directly to your cellular service. In the US, most of the major cellphone carriers sell these devices. Also - companies like Clear: http://www.clear.com/ provide this service.

A wireless router is a wireless access point plus a router. You would connect it to your cable modem or DSL and it would provide Wireless service to your house - plus the necessary infrastructure to connect the wireless computers to the modem.

You can read more about it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_router

As for wireless modems - I don't use that type of service. I have DSL. A friend of mine uses ClearWire - he's been "OKAY" with them. Sometimes it's great, but sometimes it's not. He still continues the service, so it can't be all bad.

Cheers,
Paul