Just as the internet has evolved, so too have connection methods. Early modems relied on telephone cables and prevented users from making calls while online – and made downright iconic sounds. These old devices were slow and only supported one connected computer at a time. Nowadays, you can hook multiple PCs and several smart home devices into the network, all using one modem. Sort of. Technically, you need a modem and a router, which has led to all sorts of confusion. What’s the difference between a modem and a router? Do you need both or just one?
This article will answer these important problems.
What is a modem?
The most important part of any internet setup is the modem, since without it, you can’t even get internet. Modems (short for “modulator-demodulator”) are primarily a translation device. The modem communicates with your internet service provider (ISP) and the countless servers that make up the internet via a coax cable. Modems then turn the received data into legible forms that your computer and other connected devices can use. In order to facilitate this connection, modems use an internet protocol (IP) address that links them to a wide-area network (WAN). If we’re being generous, we could classify the internet as a WAN that encompasses the globe.
Your ISP determines much about the modem you will end up using. For starters, you usually have to rent or buy a modem from your provider. While you can purchase third-party modems from retail outlets, not all modems are compatible with all services. For instance, if you purchase an AT&T Internet plan and own a Netgear Nighthawk 32×8 DOCSIS 3.1, you can’t use that modem because it only works with XFINITY, Cox, and Spectrum. You will need to rent or buy a different modem, possibly one provided by AT&T.
Modems also determine your upload and download speeds, as well as your internet’s bandwidth. Well, technically the plan you purchase determines your service’s maximum performance, but the modem enforces a hardware limitation on it. If you opt for a plan with lightning-fast internet, you need to make sure your modem can handle those speeds. Moreover, your internet package determines the modem you will be able to use. More often than not, you will use a cable modem that connects to the internet with cable TV lines, but ISPs can also offer dial-up modems that use telephone lines and satellite modems that employ communications satellites.
When setting up your modem, location is key because everything is hard-wired into everything else. The device is plugged directly into a cable, while computers and other internet-capable devices are connected to the modem. Even satellite modems are subject to this limitation because they need to plug into a satellite dish on top of the house roof.
What is a router?
While modems are crucial for internet connectivity, routers are a bit tighter in scope. Instead of translating data between servers and computers, routers enable communication between multiple devices by transferring data between them. Before the advent of wi-fi or even the modern internet, people would use ethernet cables to plug their computers into routers and form a local area network (LAN). LANs were popular among many early gamers, who would get together and play multiplayer titles on their computers in what were colloquially known as LAN parties.
While the technology behind routers has changed and improved, the core premise remains the same. What we think of routers these days use wi-fi to form a LAN between all connected devices and the modem. Wired routers can still be used, but wi-fi routers are far more common since they let users place their internet-ready gadgets and smart devices almost anywhere. This feature has freed up manufacturers to create TVs that can stream Netflix and lights you can control with your phone. Routers also do more than just turn your houses into LANs. Many companies build extra layers of internet security into routers. These include firewalls and virtual private networks (VPNs).
If you are only connecting one PC to the internet, you don’t need a router since you can plug the computer directly into the modem, but anything else necessitates a router. Even if you just want to connect your PlayStation 5 to the internet, you need a router. As with modems, you can either rent or buy a router from an ISP or outright purchase one from a retailer. However, unlike store-bought modems, third-party routers will generally cooperate with most modems. However, you should always do your due diligence and research any device that piques your interest, or at least purchase a router manufactured by the company that made your modem. For instance, Netgear routers might work with other modems, but they generally are at their best when paired with Netgear modems. Moreover, while routers can’t increase internet upload and download speeds, they can decrease it by capping out below a plan’s advertised performance.
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What is a modem-router combo?
While many modems and routers are separate devices, plenty of manufacturers bundle the two into one shell. These modem-router combos do exactly as their names suggest: They plug into the internet, translate the data, and connect different devices to the web via ethernet cables or wi-fi. Many ISPs offer these devices, but you can also purchase them on your own, too. As with solo modems, always double check to make sure the modem works with your ISP.
On one hand, modem-router combos sound like a great deal. You spend less money and electricity than you would on a modem and a router, and the bundled device takes up less space and requires less time to set up. That may be true, but the modem-router combo comes with the Achilles’ heel of being one device. If something goes wrong with either a modem or router, you still have the other one, and a replacement won’t be that expensive. But if a modem-router combo goes down, you will have to spend a comparatively large amount of money for a new one.
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In many ways, hotspots are a form of modem-router combo. When you turn your smartphone into a hotspot, your device connects to the internet via cellular data, converts the signals to wi-fi, and links up with internet-enabled devices. This feature turns smartphones into their own mobile modem-router combos, but the process is notorious for being a battery power and cellular data plan glutton. To counter this problem, some companies sell standalone hotspot devices that let you connect to the internet without a modem, router, or phone. These devices function the same as smartphone hotspots and come with their own data plans, which make them yet another form of modem-router combo.