Modems forge a connection to the Internet by converting signals from an ISP into a digital signal that can be interpreted by any connected device. Each plays a different but equally important role in connecting networks to each other and to the Internet.Ī router forms networks and manages the flow of data within and between those networks, while a modem connects those networks to the Internet. To learn more about IP routing and the protocols that are used during this process, read What is routing? What is the difference between a router and a modem?Īlthough some Internet service providers (ISPs) may combine a router and a modem within a single device, they are not the same. It then forwards the packet to the next network in the path.

The router reads a packet's header to determine where it is going, then consults the routing table to figure out the most efficient path to that destination.

In order to direct packets effectively, a router uses an internal routing table - a list of paths to various network destinations. In the same way that an air traffic controller ensures that planes reach their destinations without getting lost or suffering a major disruption along the way, a router helps direct data packets to their destination IP address. Just as each plane has a unique destination and follows a unique route, each packet needs to be guided to its destination as efficiently as possible. Think of a router as an air traffic controller and data packets as aircraft headed to different airports (or networks). * A network switch forwards data packets between groups of devices in the same network, whereas a router forwards data between different networks. Because a WAN is distributed over a large area, it often necessitates multiple routers and switches*. Large organizations and companies that operate in multiple locations across the country, for instance, will need separate LANs for each location, which then connect to the other LANs to form a WAN. A LAN usually requires a single router.Ī WAN, by contrast, is a large network spread out over a vast geographic area. A LAN is a group of connected devices restricted to a specific geographic area. There are several types of routers, but most routers pass data between LANs (local area networks) and WANs (wide area networks).

It serves two primary functions: managing traffic between these networks by forwarding data packets to their intended IP addresses, and allowing multiple devices to use the same Internet connection. A router is a device that connects two or more packet-switched networks or subnetworks.

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