From there, we’ll be able to work through everything else with relative ease. Well, that and an active internet connection! But what’s the difference between the two? And can you ever get away with using just one or the other? We’re going to talk about how the technology works, starting with the internet signal itself. This is typically found in home networks as it makes it easy on the ISP since only a single device needs to be provided to a customer for them to access the internet.If you’re setting up a home internet connection, there are two main components required: a router and a modem. In the case of the combo modem and router, the device actually contains a modem, router, switch, and wireless access point bundled into one. While many modems are simply just modems, there are many modems that are also modem/router combos which are not only capable of performing the duties of the modem, but are also capable of routing and switching as well. The reason for this is because many of the newer switches are called switches however, they have capability across Layers 2 to 7 including functionality such as routing, web switching, cookie switching, and more. However, recent introductions of newer enterprise switches have blurred the lines in terms of where the devices fall under in the OSI Reference Model. Switches generally help forward frames inside a network. In the OSI Reference Model, the switch is considered a Layer 2 device. Unlike a router which is capable of creating and routing between multiple TCP/IP networks, a switch is a device that’s designed only to facilitate communications for devices on the same network. What is a Switch?Ī switch is simply a device that connects multiple devices on the same network. Business or enterprise routers on the other hand may not include this functionality and requires a separate, standalone switch for this purpose. Typically, home routers also include built-in switches in order to provide the ability for multiple devices to be connected on the same network. Routers transmit packets and more importantly have the capability to transmitting data through different networks. In the OSI Reference Model, the router is considered a Layer 3 device. This is why your computer’s IP address on your home network is different than the public IP address your ISP assigned you. Whereas a modem simply establishes a connection between your home network and your ISP, a router helps facilitate communications between your home’s network and the ISP’s network. What is a Router?Ī typical home router is designed to route data between different networks using IP, or Internet Protocol. Modems transmit bits, which are essentially 0s and 1s. In the OSI Reference Model, the modem is considered a Layer 1 device. Each type of modem is capable of transferring data over a different type of physical connection using a set of communications standards, or protocols, that it was designed to support. For example, a DSL modem is capable of transferring data over a standard copper telephone line, a cable modem is capable of transferring data over a coax cable line, a fiber modem is capable of transferring data over a fiber optic line, a satellite modem is capable of transferring data over a satellite connection, and well, you get the gist. Now you may ask, why is this necessary? Well, the reason why we need modems is because unlike a router or a switch, different types of modems can transmit and receive data on different types of physical connections. The primary purpose of a modem when used in a home networking environment is to establish a connection between your home internet connection and your ISP. What is a Modem?Ī modem is the short way of saying “modulator, demodulator”. If the chart above seems a little confusing, this is understandable, so let’s dive a little more in depth into each device and discuss how it relates to each layer of the OSI Reference Model. Below is an overview of what each layer is called and what type of data is carried in the layer. In total there are 7 layers in the OSI Reference Model. This is why a router made by Cisco will work with a switch made by Netgear, and the switch made by Netgear will work with a Wi-Fi access point made by TP-Link. As modems, routers and switches are network devices, they fall under the OSI Reference Model. The OSI Reference Model is a framework originally developed in 1984 by the ISO (International Organization of Standardization) that essentially governs how information is communicated through a network. Before we start with the modem vs router vs switch conversation, we first need to understand the OSI Reference Model, or Open Systems Interconnection Reference Model.
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