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Posted - 2011
A domestic home router is a networking device which connects a
personal computer to the Internet. The router is classified as a
"residential gateway"; a residential gateway is a term
which can be applied to a number of networking devices - with varying
functions - such as a router or cable modem.
A router currently comes in two configurations,
- Wired
- Wireless
A wired router connects via the ethernet port of a home computer,
whereas a wireless router connects via a 802.11 (B, G or N) WiFi
infrastructure of a home computer. The wireless router uses an antenna
to send out a radio frequency which can be understood by a wireless
enabled personal computer.
For a router to beable to function it requires the following: an
active landline telephone line, a broadband access account with
an Internet Service Provider, a microfilter for each phone socket,
a home computer (such as a laptop or a desktop), and a operating
system installed on the home computer which is capable of networking
(such as Windows XP, Vista or 7).
Most Internet Service Providers in the UK provide a free router
when you sign up for a contract. Currently, ISPs in the UK offer
standard broadband (provided through a landline) and fibre optic
broadband (provided through a fibre optic cable network - usually
located in urban areas). Depending on the broadband package, a user
will need a fibre optic router or a standard landline router.
While a wired router simple connects to a personal computer via
the ethernet port - using an ethernet cable - a wireless router
can use a number of wireless networking standards. A wireless 802.11b
router can support a speed of 11Mbps - whereas a wireless 802.11g
router can support a speed of 54Mbps - there is also a wireless
802.11n standard.
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