In the simplest terms, here’s how the different pieces of equipment connect in today’s typical household computer network:
-
A broadband (high speed) Internet service
brings the Internet into your house, and plugs into the modem 
(a device provided by your Internet service provider), which plugs into the router 
using an Ethernet cable. Many WiFi routers create BOTH a wireless and a wired network, in which case all your computers will connect to that router.
Computers that don’t have WiFi functionality plug in using an Ethernet cable
, while laptops 
and any other computers (or other devices) equipped with WiFi 
can connect wirelessly (typically, if they are within 50-100 feet of the WiFi router). -
That’s the basic idea. Of course, there are many variations, depending on your particular needs, space and equipment. And the technology will keep advancing, giving us more and better choices.
For example, many Internet service providers now offer you a device combining the functionally of the modem and WiFi router into a single box. This can make setup faster for their technicians and (theoretically) you. But since they often include this dodad for “free”, it tends to be the cheap model. I still prefer the ease of use and added functionality delivered by my favorite WiFi routers.
13 October 2007
