What’s The Difference Between Modem And Router?

The Internet has become a crucial part of our day to day lives. It’s hard to imagine a life without it. In this fast pacing digitalization, it acts as a backbone for the same.

Whenever you are using the Internet you are likely to use both modems and routers. But what are these exactly? If you have the same question in your mind, this blog is just for you.

Modem 

The modem is basically made up of two words – “Modulator and Demodulator”. It means that it modulates transmissions to receive and carry data. It’s simply like a door to the Internet that receives and sends data between telephone lines/ cables and all the home devices.

The main question that arises here is that why do we need modems for? The data transmission on the Internet occurs in the analog form but the devices like computer & mobiles only understand the digital transmission.

Modem Pros & Cons 

Pros: 

• It converts the signal from ISP to the universal one that a computer system can understand.
• It connects to an ISP.
• It is specifically compatible with ISP.

Cons: 

• Doesn’t run wifi.
• It doesn’t connect multiple devices to the Internet.
• Can’t create a local network.

Router 

The router connects to an Ethernet port on the modem and routes the internet traffic to its connected devices. It typically has a dedicated colour-coded Ethernet port that it uses to physically connect to the router. And four additional Ethernet ports for wired devices.

Routers made for home and small offices are mostly wirelessly enabled and allow devices to connect to them via wifi. Most of them also have multiple Ethernet ports that allow wired connections which can significantly be faster than wifi.

Router Pros & Cons

Pros: 

• Runs a firewall.
• Hosts wifi.
• It connects to a VPN.
• It can split an internet connection to multiple devices.

Cons: 

• It doesn’t decode the signal from an ISP.
• Can’t directly connect to the internet.

Which one is better and when?

Routers and modems may look similar but they perform completely different functions which are pretty easy to understand. A router is a small box-shaped computer peripheral that allows multiple computers to join the same Internet.

While on the other hand, a modem is a device that provides access to the Internet. By connecting the modem to your router all devices connected to the router are connected to the modem and eventually to the Internet.

In case you are connecting a single computer to the Internet via a wire, you can only use a modem. But if you want to boost up your network, the router is what you require here. Let’s have a look at some combo devices for the same.

If you want to check about more Router issues and solutions then you can check this amazing website Windowscape. You will get all the solutions.

Modem and Router combo devices 

Some ISPs provide both modem and router in a single device. This device consists of both the hardware and software in order to provide both functions. Such devices can either be purchased directly or rented from the ISP.

Although this combo device isn’t quite durable for the reason it becomes useless when it’s a single part breaks. Another drawback associated with such devices is that you cannot upgrade a specific single part out of it. Instead, if you need a great tech you can buy it at your own convenience.