Today I will try to be as detailed as possible, but the most important thing is more interesting to tell - what is a Wi-Fi router and why is it needed in an apartment. Many users and happy owners of this box themselves know little about it.

But this transmitter is fraught with many secrets and secrets, which I will tell you today. After reading the article, you will not only know what this gizmo is, but you will understand how good routers differ from bad ones, and you will easily choose the ideal option for yourself.

But this is for those who have not yet bought a transmitter for themselves and are in a choice. Let's first understand the concept. A router is the English word "router", in Russian it is also called a router, therefore these two words are synonyms. And now in more detail.

How it works and the actual assignment

The principle of operation of the router is multistage. The very purpose of a router is to act as a kind of intermediate stage between two networks that work according to different principles. It is also called a gateway in another way. Nothing is clear yet? - it's okay, now I will give an illustrative example.

At the moment, providers that provide the Internet service (without which no one can live anymore) by conducting a network within the city. But for us, this network is external (Global) - as it is located from the inside of an apartment or house. Of course, you can plug the wire that the provider has thrown into your computer or laptop directly.

But then the question arises - what should the rest of the family do, because you also want to use the Internet. It is in such cases that the router acts. An Internet wire is inserted into one of the ports, which is usually called a WAN connector. Usually this port is blue or cyan. Now the Internet is poured into our box.

And in order to connect several computers or laptops over a wire, they use LAN ports. As you probably already guessed, they are yellow. By the way, you can connect there not only a PC, but also network printers, SMART TVs, CCTV cameras and much more that has a similar network interface.

The task of the router is to receive a signal from the external network, build an internal network between the connected devices and distribute the Internet to these devices. But also all connected devices can exchange information internally. For example, you can download a movie to your PC and watch it on your TV.

Routing

The question immediately arises, how does a router understand exactly where to send data. In this case, it uses the routing table, as well as the IP addresses of the local network - all computers and devices connected to the router at home. Local network addresses often start with the numbers "192.168". Therefore, if you see such a combination of addresses, then this is the address of some device inside a house or apartment.

As we have already found out the wire that goes to the router from the provider connects us to the global Internet. Here the router also has a second address - external. It is issued by the provider so that the information packets reach the desired addressee.

As a result, Internet packets go through the wire to the WAN port using an external IP address. Next, the router calculates where to send the packet further and looks at the internal routing table, where the local IP is mainly used.

He looks at the table and sends the data to his father's computer, if he was the one who sent the request. If several people use the Internet at once, then the router skillfully distributes data packets to each addressee. The principle of operation is similar to mail.

Wi-Fi

For many, the association of the Internet and the router comes with Wi-Fi technology. Wi-Fi is a technology for transmitting information using radio waves. Many may now object: "But does Bluetooth, cellular communication, and even a banal microwave also use radio waves ?!" - And yes - you will be right! But WiFi at the same time uses a certain standard - IEEE 802.11. This standard is just used to build a local air network and communication devices connected to the router.

Often, some users confuse Wi-Fi and the Internet, thinking that they are the same thing. But they are actually two different things. Since Wi-Fi is just a technology for building an overhead local area network. That is, if you turn off the Internet or pull out the cable from the provider, then the wi-fi will not go anywhere, just the local radio network will be without the Internet.

The IEEE 802.11 standard has a large number of types. Such a standard works, if divided more roughly into two frequencies:

As you can see, 5 GHz has a significant speed increase due to the increased frequency. Now the more popular models with 2.4 GHz, since they are cheaper and not everyone needs such a high speed in the local network as in the top five.

One more note - after seeing such numbers, many think about Internet speed, but as we wrote earlier, Wi-Fi and the Internet are different things. This means that this standard should only be applied to the internal home network.

Each frequency has its own pros and cons. 2.4 GHz is the most common and most likely all your neighbors are sitting on it (if you have them). In order to be able to use one frequency in an apartment building and not interfere with neighbors, channels were invented. There are 14 of them in the 2.4 GHz frequency. But if all your neighbors, for example, will sit on channel 1, where you sit too, then there may be connection losses, interruptions and loss of speed.

5 GHz is not such a popular standard, and it has more channels - 146. Its speed is higher and it is more reliable. But there is also some minus - because of the high frequency of the waves, if you remember from physics, the wave dies out faster from obstacles. Therefore, the radius where 5 GHz waves operate is almost half that of 2.4 GHz waves. Therefore, in a large country house, it is better to use waves with a frequency of 2.4 GHz.

In order to connect to a local network via Wi-Fi, the device must have a special Wi-Fi module. This is such a small antenna. As you know, all modern smartphones, phones, tablets and laptops have it. But computers don't have it. In this case, you can purchase an external Wi-Fi module or adapter. It looks like a flash drive. You just plug it into a USB port on your computer, install the drivers and you can connect over the air.

What is the difference and difference from a modem?

If a router and a router are one and the same, then a modem is a completely different story. The router, as we understood it, acts as a certain postal employee who accepts letters from the provider and then sends them to the address via the local network.

But the modem does completely different things. Let's plunge into history a little. When the Internet came to Russia, there was a question - how to spread it throughout the Russian Federation. Fiber optic was too expensive at that time, and there was a crisis in the 90s. And then the idea came to spread the Internet over a telephone line.

But then the question arose. The computer only understands encrypted information in zeros and ones. And telephone lines cannot transmit such information, since they are not intended for this. And there the data is transmitted in an analog way. Then people came up with aDSL modems. They reworked the analog signal into one that the computer could understand.

That is, the modem can be called a translator, and the router acts only as a messenger sender to the desired address. Nowadays aDSL modems are not so popular anymore and more often use 3G / 4G modems for mobile internet.

Router buttons and indicators

Let's take a look at the design of a router. If you look at the front panel, you will notice several glowing bulbs. I advise you to study them right away, so you can always understand what is wrong with your router, just by looking at them.

There can be more as an indicator, but often they can show a lot. Let's take a look at the picture above:

1. Power-on indicators - on new models it is not available at all.
2. Internet - if it is lit or blinking, then there is Internet. Otherwise, it needs to be configured.
3. Wi-Fi - everything is similar to the previous light bulb. If it is off, then there is no wireless network, it is not configured, or it needs to be turned on.
4. The rest of the indicators, as you probably already guessed, show a direct wire connection to the LAN ports.

Now let's take a look at additional buttons.

• Discharge - usually pressed into the body and looks like a hole. If you take a clip and hold down this button for 15 seconds, the router settings will be reset to the factory settings. This is a useful thing if you borrowed a router from a friend and you need to customize it for yourself.
• Fn - if you click on it, the system will automatically find the new firmware of the operating system of the router and install it, also in offline mode.
• The convex button is an on and off button. May be labeled "ON / OFF" or "ON / OFF".
• You can also find the WPS button - it allows you to connect to the network router without knowing the Wi-Fi password.

Additional router features

In addition to the usual reception of the Internet and its distribution between connected devices, routers in the system have additional buns - which greatly simplify life.

• USB connector - you can connect a 4G / 3G modem there. But, besides this, there is the possibility of connecting a hard drive. Thus, you build your own server where you can upload movies, photos, music. And watch, listen to all this splendor from any device on the local network.
• Mobile application - new models of routers support special programs. You download software from Google Play or App Store. Then you can easily configure the device from your phone or tablet. But the most interesting thing is that it can be done from anywhere in the world where there is Internet.
• IPTV - now many providers provide IP TV along with the Internet package. There, the image quality is better and there are several hundred more channels. And the TV stream goes through the router to the TV.
• Blocking and control - if you have children, elderly parents at home, or you just want to protect your family from dangerous sites, then the router may well become your defenders. You can connect separate filters that will protect you and your family from adult and dangerous content. Then you can not be afraid that you will pick up a virus or end up on some site where people are deceived.
• MU-MIMO is a technology that allows you to transfer information in a local network at maximum speed in several streams. Well, for example, without MU-MIMO - IEEE 802.11n has a transmission rate of up to 300 Mbps. But when you use it, the speed grows up to 450 Mbps. Helps gamblers and gamers reduce wireless ping and latency.
• Antivirus programs - they heavily load the computer's operating system. But on powerful routers, you can install any anti-virus software. Thus, you protect all devices on the local network and completely free up the resources of other devices. Now there is no long OS boot.

How to choose

There are a lot of companies that produce routers, and even more so. Some are cheap - 900 rubles, some models cost more than 10,000 rubles. Let me tell you what to look for when choosing at the moment and give some advice. First of all, look at the characteristics.

• Frequencies - as I said, there are now two popular bands: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. I would advise taking routers with a dual-band frequency. That is, they would work at both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.
• Processor - if you have a small family and do not plan to connect more than 2-3 devices, then you can take a cheap model. But if you will connect IPTV, cameras, a network printer, and you also have several people who constantly use the Internet, then the model should be more powerful and better with two cores. Not cheaper than 5000 rubles
• Ports - make sure that the WAN port is not less than the speed of your Internet. Because if you buy a router with a 100 Mbps port, and you pay for the Internet at a speed of 300 Mbps, then the speed will be cut based on the WAN input on the router.

Another tip is not to take very budget models. At first, they will not work badly, but in the process they will freeze and have to be rebooted. This is especially true for a large number of connections.

HELP! If you are in doubt with the choice or need advice on this issue, feel free to write in the comments and I will help you. Together we will find the perfect model for you.

It is difficult for a novice Internet user to understand new concepts and terminologies. It is not always possible to find out what a router is in simple words, since opinions on the network differ, and the reviews are complex and ambiguous. Therefore, this article will help you get an exhaustive answer.

What is a router and what is it for

In simple words, a router (router) is a device for redirecting data packets to specified addresses. Also the distribution of the Internet between connected consumers. Due to their versatility, access points allow pairing wirelessly - Wi-Fi network or wired, using a cable.

The Wi-Fi network is more often used when connecting mobile equipment - a smartphone or tablet, which allows you to move freely within the range of the access point. It is also a forced measure, due to the lack of a connector for a wired connection.

Large-sized equipment: netbook and laptop; stationary equipment: PC, TV, set-top box or game console - connected wirelessly and wired. More often, the latter option is used to achieve a stable and high-speed connection, or when the access point is remote. A Wi-Fi network is chosen when you do not want to lay additional wires or in the absence of long cables.

Additional router features

Some models of routers are equipped with one or more USB ports. This allows you to organize personal wireless data storage, to access media and files without using the Internet, or exchange data between paired devices. And a connected 3G / 4G modem or smartphone / tablet will become a temporary or permanent alternative to wired Internet.

A router is an analogue of a small computer, thanks to which the device can work autonomously and be controlled remotely. Some models are able to download torrents to a connected media, without using a PC, which is convenient when the Internet is slow.

How to choose a router

Routers are universal equipment, so the main criteria are personal preferences and operating conditions. For an apartment in a multi-storey building, a model with support for a 5 GHz frequency is better, for a house located in a private sector, a model with a 2.4 GHz frequency will do. More details on how to choose a wifi router are described in a separate article.

Conclusion

We hope the article helped to figure out what a Wi Fi router is and what it is for. This is a useful equipment capable of evenly distributing the Internet from one cable to several devices.

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If you have access to the Internet or to any local network, a router (otherwise a router) can become one of the main components connected to a computer. It is able to quickly connect your home network to the outside. This device allows all information from the provider to be evenly distributed across all computers on the local network. At the same time, the router takes on the important task of ensuring the security of this process. So, let's figure out what a router is?

The router is used to communicate with wide area networks, which allows the most efficient distribution of traffic and use of alternative paths between network nodes. Thus, the main purpose of the router is to serve alternative paths, as well as to combine various networks.

What is a router for?

Where the router will be used depends entirely on how many ports it is equipped with. For example, it can be used in a local area, which will effectively manage traffic when it comes to a highly segmented network. With this device, you can connect Ethernet networks with other types, and you can also provide a connection between a local network and a global network.

But this is not all that concerns the question of what a router is. These devices not only connect networks with the global or with each other. They also manage traffic based on the network layer protocol, that is, at a layer that is noticeably higher than the switch. Such management of the router is necessary when the network topology becomes more complex, as well as because of the increase in the number of nodes. An excessive number of paths are organized in the network, along which the highest quality and fastest delivery of certain packets of information should be organized. So, if it becomes more or less clear with the question of what a router is, then it is worth touching on the topic. There are two main ones: OSPF and RIP. When using the first, not only the number of devices between nodes is taken into account, but also the network performance, as well as the delay in packet transmission and other parameters. This type of protocol is used in large networks where complex routers based on powerful processors are required. When using the second, the choice of the most efficient path is carried out according to the principle of the minimum number of network devices between nodes. Configuration in this case becomes simple, and the router is very weakly loaded.

So, if you understand everything with the question of what a router is, then you can consider using it at home. A home network through a router is a combination of computers into a local network, while providing their access to the Internet. Typically, such devices are equipped with four ports, which allows you to connect 4 computers to them. And then the question may arise: "WiFi-router, what is it?". This type of router, in addition to ports, is also equipped with antennas that allow computers to provide radio access to the network. It turns out that if you have devices with a Wi-Fi module, you do not need to connect them to the router using a traditional network cable, you just need to use the built-in module.

So, now you know what a router is.

A wireless router is a device used to connect a computer to a network without running cables from the computer to the router. It allows you to use one Internet connection on different devices without paying a subscription fee for using the Internet for each individual user. This may sound daunting at first, but actually understanding how a router works is not hard. So check out our explanation for all the technologies and conditions you need to know about this vital home device!

Wi-Fi, or wireless networking, is a technology that is actually much older than many people think. The world's first wireless data transmission was first done with the HAM radio in 1971, although the technology it worked with is considered rather primitive today.

By 1997, the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) agreed to the 802.11 standard, which at the time was in use in relation to what we know today as 802.11b. Since then, several more leaps have been made in increasing the speed and volume of transmission. Each leap has generated new technologies. For example, the "b" standard was the first to provide a data transfer rate of about 11 Mbps. By comparison, the most recent, modern 802.11ad standard is capable of transferring a whopping 7 Gbps.

802.11 networking standards will differ slightly depending on user needs.

Wireless routers. What it is?

In simple terms, a wireless router is a piece of networking equipment that receives a terrestrial Internet signal from your ISP and is "broadcast" by waves that travel through the air using a number of different antennas. This signal is then recognized by Wi-Fi-enabled devices - smartphones, laptops, and the like - which converts the code they receive into visible text, images, and multimedia content.

The difference between a wireless router or router and a modem is that the first is only designed to broadcast the signal it receives from the modem, which is actually responsible for decoding that signal. A modem is a piece of equipment that you get from your internet service provider. Many ISPs now offer leasing for modems that come with their own wireless routers inside.

How does a router work?

Using radio waves transmitted over the 802.11 spectrum, wireless routers receive the binary signal provided by your ISP and send it over the air to a compatible receiving device. The router creates individual IP addresses for each new device that is added to the network.

In theory, most home routers can support up to 250 connections at a time. But no one can guarantee that the bandwidth of the connection will not suffer. This is very controversial, the fact is that the router today is much more advanced than their predecessors. The new routers take one internet signal and split it across dozens of directions or more, and protect users with several additional extensions such as parental controls and firewalls.

Finally, speaking of security, wireless routers use what is known as WPA, or "Wi-Fi Protected Access," to protect your connection from outside threats that might try to break into your network to hack you. The principle of its operation is not so simple, although the average user does not need to go into these details. However, always choose WPA2-PSK, which is the strongest in the consumer market today.

Video - What is a Wi-Fi router and how it works

How to set up a router

Step 1... Choose a suitable location. Find a good place to start setting up your router, such as a desk.

Step 2. Turn it on. Connect the router to a power source and turn it on.

Step 3. Connect one computer. Connect this first computer to the router using a special cable.

Note! Using a wireless router for the initial setup is not recommended because its Wi-Fi settings have not yet been set.

Step 4. Open the router's management console. First of all, open a web browser and enter the address of the router to access the settings. Many routers are available at their web addresses:

• http://192.168.1.1;
• http://192.168.0.1.

Note! You do not need a working internet connection for this step.

On the router home page, you will be prompted. You can find them in your router's documentation or on the back.

In the Internet section, enter the ones you should have received from your ISP.

Step 6. Check your local network connection. Open your web browser and try different sites. The Internet should work. Now the matter is small - all that remains is to connect the rest of the devices to a wireless connection.

Step 7. Set up your wireless connection by creating a password. It is he who will be used when connecting other devices.

Video - How to connect and configure TP LINK router