A wi fi router is

The days of wires and cables are a thing of the past, and a router gives everyone a wireless network connection. Of course, it is much more profitable to buy a router and connect the whole family to one access point than to spend gigabytes from the Internet packages of mobile operators. In addition, home Internet is usually faster than mobile, so it's much more comfortable to watch movies or play with a router. And so will your guests! Just share the password with them.

What is a router, and how is it different from a router?

Recently, such words as router, router, switch, modem have become much more. But in particular, no one thinks about what they are, until they are confronted with the settings. On many sites they write rather complicated, applying incomprehensible concepts.

I, a fifth-generation network magician, will try to talk about this little magic box in more detail. I'll tell you what it is, its purpose, what it's for, and what hidden features and secrets it has.

NOTE! In this article I tried to tell you about this gizmo as simply as possible, but if you have any questions, then feel free to ask them in the comments. I'll try to answer and help you right away.

What the Internet used to be like

A long time ago, in the olden days, when children did not have iPhones, the coolest majors bragged about beepers and the word "Internet" could only scare the old ladies next door, it was after the collapse of the Soviet Union and freedom, the first providers began to appear.

But the pioneers of the Internet faced a problem. Let me remind you that the Internet appeared in the United States in 1982. Networks had appeared even earlier. But this technology didn't find the right equipment at home. The problem was that in Russia at the time, there were no wires capable of transferring data from a computer to a computer.

The usual telephone cable came to the rescue. Yes – these two wires without the braid were the first network that could be used to reach the sites. And then there is the question of how to transmit the signal over such wires, and even to computers, which, to put it mildly, do not even have such an input.

For this purpose, aDSL modems were invented. Their task was to modify the telephone signal into one that the computer could understand. I want to say that I used one myself until 2007. Internet was weak, expensive and constantly interrupted. Also, if someone picked up the phone, it was gone.

And yes, in those years, no one had even heard of Wi-Fi. And networks were built around simple switches so that you could play CS with your friends at home. I don't even talk about online games.

What is a router and what does it do?

Regardless of which provider you are connected to, there is only one wire that "flows" the Internet into the apartment itself. You can connect it directly to your computer, but then the rest of your home devices won't have a network. The router works as a distributor. In simple terms, by getting a single channel of Internet from your ISP, it passes it on to other gadgets.

A router is a device that distributes the Internet from your ISP to multiple devices wired and wirelessly (that is, it distributes wifi).

It creates a new, separate local network inside the apartment.

All devices – smartphones, TVs, computers, laptops – connect to the router, and it passes all the data on. If your home devices are networked, they no longer need the Internet to share data with each other. You can transmit data from your phone to your computer or TV without it.

The principle of the router is based on the construction of an internal map, which includes all devices within the network. The shortest route to each of the connected devices is compiled, as well as an alternate bypass route, if it is possible to build it.

For "dummies", I'll try to explain how it works, using the example of the post office. You have a letter sent to a certain address, for example, Yuzhnaya Street, 7, apartment 5. The letter carrier brings the letter and throws it in the mailbox. If the tenant is alone in the apartment, it is already clear to whom the information came and who will open the letter.

This situation illustrates a single computer connection to the Internet. If there are several tenants, you need to look for the addressee whose name is on the envelope, and only then pass the letter on. This is what the router does, it looks at the "address on the envelope" and sends the message.

This example is not complete, because the router is also engaged in sending "letters" to the big world, making them independently and correctly signing them. For this you only need to "introduce" the addressee and the router by carrying out a registration. That is, connect to the network and enter your username and password.

Router and router: is there a difference

The definition of "router" is not often used in everyday life, but this does not mean that router and router are different concepts.

A router and a router, in the global sense, are the same thing. The difference between router and router is that "router" is the name in English, from which it came to us, and "router" is its translation into Russian.

In Russia, routers are more commonly referred to as those devices that stand in users' apartments and are used to create a wireless network. Our people consider a router to be a device, which only connects to wired network, or routers are more professional and expensive devices.

You can't go wrong by calling both a router and a router. In case of any connection problems, tech support advises users to reboot the router. Very few companies call them routers, but if you encounter one, you know that your little box with antennas that gives out Wi-FI fits both of these definitions.

What you can connect to your router

The list of network devices that can be connected to the Internet via a router is quite large. And it keeps growing! If you have a router, you can get a connection for several computers, laptops, smartphones, TVs with network access, camcorders and printers. And it will also provide Internet access for your smart fridge and kettle (if they have network connectivity).

Depending on the design, routers can be divided into four types.

Wi-Fi routers .

These "boxes" have a special WAN port – a cable with an RJ45 connector is connected to it. The same one that you used to have to connect directly to your computer.

Once connected and configured, such routers are ready to distribute wireless Internet to all devices – just find the signal source in the list and enter the password. And usually such routers are able to work in a hybrid mode, that is, and distribute Wi-Fi, and transmit a signal over the wire. For example, let's look at several models of such routers.

Stylish and Compact – Wi-Fi Router HUAWEI WS7200 AX3 Pro

Look at the product

This router provides a high data transfer rate – up to 2402 Mbit / s. This is more than enough for gaming and streaming. For fast connection of several devices at once OFDMA-modulation technology is responsible, and there are four antennas for signal amplification. The neat white housing suits any interior, and the small size (22.5×40×15.9 cm) will allow you to place the router in any corner of your home. You can configure the router by yourself, without the help of a specialist.

Reliable and safe – HUAWEI WS7100 AX3 Wi-Fi router

Look at the product

This model allows you to receive the Internet both wirelessly and without it – a hybrid method of receiving a provider's signal is available. Harmony Microkernel architecture ensures the security of the connection, all received and stored data will be reliably protected. The signal is amplified by four fixed antennas. It comes with a cable and power supply – nothing extra. The maximum speed is the same as in the previous device – 2402 Mbps.

Indicators and buttons on the router

All information icons are usually displayed on the front panel. This is where the device's power-on sign and network status icons are displayed. If the sign of receiving a signal is not lit, then you should check the reliability of the cable connection to the router before you panic.

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How to choose a router for a private house or cottage

The area of the house or cottage will in any case be larger than that of a city apartment. What router should you choose for your home in this case? The answer suggests itself – for such an expanse you need a device with more power.

You can take a closer look, for example, at the TP-Link Archer AX55 AX3000 Wi-Fi router – it is a real monster from the world of wireless technology, although with a price tag of a premium device – 6300 rubles. It has a lot of modern technological features, among which is the parental control function: you can restrict access to certain sites in the settings. The wear-resistant plastic housing of the device is not exposed to adverse external and mechanical effects. Therefore, it can be placed on a covered veranda – so the Internet signal will easily reach the garden plot, lawn or vegetable garden (depending on how you use the adjacent territory).

There are more affordable solutions for your home/household wireless Internet needs. HUAWEI WS7100 AX3 Wi-Fi router is slightly cheaper, but it will also provide Wi-Fi coverage for you and your household. This device has a nice futuristic design and will decorate any room.

How to choose a router for the office

When choosing a router for the office, it is important to consider two things. First, you need to proceed from the size of the room of a particular office. Secondly, there is no specific class of devices, such as "office router". In small "compact" companies, it is quite possible to do with a simple household solution, designed for home use. In large corporations, where a unified network environment is created, which can physically be located on several floors or even in several buildings, quite different – industrial – solutions are used to create a common coverage.

In between, you can focus on gadgets designed for use in large private homes with sufficiently powerful hardware.

The Keenetic Ultra Wi-Fi router (KN-1810) is ideal in this case. The main feature that makes this device useful in the office is that this Internet center combines the options of a modem and a router, so it can be used not only to distribute Wi-Fi, but also for IP-telephony. Russian language web configuration makes setup a breeze, and you can use the command line, web interface or mobile app to manage it.

Another option to raise the Wi-Fi network in the office is to use a MESH system. This is not quite a router in the usual sense of the word, but once installed and configured, the end user and Internet user will not notice the difference. However, such a MESH system will cost more than a simple router. For example, if you take two models of the same brand – TP-Link TL-MR6400 WiFi router (5,399 rubles) and TP-Link Deco P9 MESH system (9,899 rubles) – the difference in price will be almost double.

In short, MESH is a chain of several devices that distribute Wi-Fi throughout the perimeter where they are installed. And the network is just one – no need to reconnect every time you go from one router to another. We wrote more about MESH in this article.

You can see how it all works using the TP-Link Deco X60 (3-Pack) MESH system as an example. These small boxes are placed in different parts of the office and provide uninterrupted coverage of up to 650 square meters, which can potentially be accessed by up to 150 users without any degradation of signal quality.

Router buttons and indicators

The indicators help to determine the status of the device. They are LEDs built into the enclosure that can blink, change color. The following indicators may be located on the housing:

• on – works always when the device is on, may be absent;
• network connection – this LED indicates the status of the connection line with the provider;
• Wi-Fi network status – the wireless network is indicated by a separate LED, which is lit when it is on;
• for the LAN ports – several diodes, they light up if any device is connected to a particular socket.

Various ports can be provided for connecting cables. Wi-Fi router is necessarily equipped with an adapter for connecting to the mains, and the body, respectively, is provided with a power socket. The WAN port is used for communication with the ISP. It differs in color, for example, it can be blue. Home devices can be connected to the LAN ports.

Depending on the class of the device there can be 2 or more RJ-45 connectors. There may also be USB, which can be used to connect shared storage (external hard disk drive), 3G modem and other devices.

• on/off – allows you to turn the device on and off;
• reset – to reset the settings;
• WPS – to create a secure connection without a password;
• Fn – searches for updates to the router software.

Depending on the model, the number of buttons and indicators varies. For example, on some routers WPS and reset are combined. A detailed description of the external functions is always found in the manual. If you have questions related to the peculiarities of a particular device, you should visit the manufacturer's website, where, as a rule, useful files are posted.

How to choose

Having figured out what is a WiFi router for the home or apartment, it remains to choose a suitable model. Not all options are necessary for every user, it is important to proceed from individual needs. A router that supports two frequency bands would be a universal option.

Studio apartment

In the studio, it is optimal to use the 5 GHz frequency, since the area is small and there is no signal interference. To avoid the device taking up a lot of space, you can choose a variant with wall mounts or internal antennas.

For the gamer

For fans of online games, speed and quality of the connection are important. You should pay attention to models with gigabit ports. If the connection to the device is over a wireless network, it is better to choose dual- or tri-band models with MU-MIMO support. But gamers often trust the wired connection more. If there are several devices, you can check the number of physical RJ-45 ports before buying.

For an urban apartment.

A small family living in an apartment should pay attention to routers with additional options. For example, "parental control" will help create restrictions for children.

In a country house

When selecting equipment for your home, take into account its area, number of floors, and other features of the structure. A single router may not be enough to cover a large area with stable Wi-Fi. If the devices support Mesh technology, the transition from one router to another is seamless. It is also useful to calculate the approximate number of users in the network, it is important if not only computers, tablets and smartphones will be connected, but also "smart" equipment.

How the router works:

• We connect to the router the cable that was laid in our house by the Internet provider (or cable from the ADSL modem) . If you have ADSL Internet (by telephone cable), and you do not have a separate modem, you can buy a Wi-Fi router with a lined up modem. To which you can immediately connect a telephone cable. And if you have Internet via USB modem, then connect the modem to the router. But in this case you need a special router that supports USB modems.
• Set up your router to work with your ISP or modem (ADSL or USB). The best way to do this is to follow the instructions that are written specifically for your device. You can search for such an article on our site in the section "Setting up the router". Also, you must set the name for your Wi-Fi network, set the password for the network.
• Connect to the router all the devices on which you want to use the Internet. Usually, the router is installed by those who want to use the Internet via Wi-Fi on their mobile devices. So, connect your phones, tablets, laptops, TVs, etc. to your Wi-Fi network. And those devices that can not connect to the wireless network (usually desktop computers), you can connect to the Internet via a network cable (LAN). As a rule, the router has 4 LAN sockets, which means that 4 devices can be connected via cable.
  And if you don't want to bother with cables for a desktop computer, you can buy a Wi-Fi receiver for it and connect it wirelessly.

So the router just establishes a connection to the Internet and shares it among all the devices connected to it. That's its job.

What's the difference between a router and a router?

If you have read this article from the beginning, you may have noticed that I wrote either a router or a router. Yes, they are the same device. They are absolutely the same and there is no difference between them.

It is just router in English. And in Russian, the word is translated as a router. That's all. It is correct either way. I use both names when I write articles.

I hope that I have answered the question in the title of this article. If you can somehow add an article, you can write me in the comments, I will be grateful.

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Sergey

Useful and interesting

Hi. Will this device give out Wi-Fi if you connect a LAN wire to it.
ru.aliexpress.com/item/FW1S-2016-New-Arrival-High-quality-Mini-3G-4G-WiFi-Wlan-Hotspot-AP-Client-150Mbps-RJ45/32622382063.html

Hello. I think it is. The description says "WAN Ports:1". Maybe it means USB and not LAN.
But it would be a good idea to ask the seller about it.

WAN Ports:1 means that it has one network input (cable internet from your ISP, RJ-45 connector).
LAN – this is an output, usually there are from one to four, to connect the network cards of laptops, computers through a patch cord with RJ-45 connector

Hello!
Can you please tell me please, I have a modem without Wi-Fi, can I separately buy a router for Wi-Fi, while leaving the old modem?

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