# Router or Modem?



## Chronic Tech (Mar 14, 2006)

I am interested to know if there is any difference between connection speeds if one uses a router rather than a modem. I have a modem at the moment, but I have noticed some say that using a router connected by Ethernet is better.

Anyone any ideas on this?


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## Fr4665 (Nov 18, 2004)

u need the modem before the router.
all the router does is give ip adresses to computer and send packages to the specific computers and also sometimes suplies a firewall (router = routing packets from internet to computers)

you need the modem to connect to your ISP. The router just provides some more protection. also there are some ADSL modems with built in routers but i dont recommend those cause if the modem breaks, the router is useless.


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## Chronic Tech (Mar 14, 2006)

Goodness! That is new to me. Thanks. I thought that a router was doing the same job as a modem and acted as a firewall itself, and I thought I saw that router's were faster than modems. Oh, well...........you learn something new every day.....


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## Fr4665 (Nov 18, 2004)

look at a router as if it was a protective gateway behind the modem


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## Chronic Tech (Mar 14, 2006)

Thanks for that, I thought that they were just two ways of connecting. I had no idea that you have to have a modem. I appreciate your responses, thank you.


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

A router and a modem don't do anything close to the same thing.

Router: A device that forwards data packets along networks. A router is connected to at least two networks, commonly two LANs or WANs or a LAN and its ISP’s network. Routers are located at gateways, the places where two or more networks connect. 

Routers use headers and forwarding tables to determine the best path for forwarding the packets, and they use protocols such as ICMP to communicate with each other and configure the best route between any two hosts. 

Modem: Short for modulator/demodulator. A communications device that converts one form of a signal to another that is suitable for transmission over communication circuits, typically from digital to analog and then from analog to digital.


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## Chronic Tech (Mar 14, 2006)

Johnwill,

OK, so there would be no difference in your opinion if I were using a router instead of this modem on the desk in front of me? It is just that I saw someone somewhere say that a modem might slow down the connection speed, and that a router would be better.


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

Like I said, when you need a modem, you REALLY need a modem. The same goes for a router. They are NOT interchangable. 

If you have a modem being used for a connection, you can't simply substitute a router. There are combination products that have a router and modem in one package, they function the same as combining the two separate boxes.

What you need to do is tell us what your issue is, and what equipment by make/model you currently have, and we'll try to help you. Your current query makes no sense, and clearly isn't addressing whatever issue you have.


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## merlin (Sep 25, 2002)

Maybe they were thinking of all-in-one device, (modem+router) as one ? Such as 2wire ?




Chronic Tech said:


> I am interested to know if there is any difference between connection speeds if one uses a router rather than a modem. I have a modem at the moment, but I have noticed some say that using a router connected by Ethernet is better.
> 
> Anyone any ideas on this?


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

I'm not sure what they were thinking of, which is why I asked what problem we're trying to solve. :smile:


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## Chronic Tech (Mar 14, 2006)

Johnwill, I don't really have an 'issue' as such. I am only looking to get the best internet speed. I have managed to get my service updated to 2mbps at last, though it is giving trouble. A modem was given to me by my ISP and it works. However my question was really around the issue of which was best. If my ISP uses modems then maybe that is what their service uses, end of story. 

Thanks for your input.

Justin


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

What do you get going to local Internet speed diagnostic sites? Where are you located?


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## merlin (Sep 25, 2002)

Who is your ISP ?


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## Chronic Tech (Mar 14, 2006)

Hello, sorry for not getting back a bit quicker. I live in rural Somerset, (England, if you are not in the UK). My ISP is Toucan. I am having all sorts of problems with my new 2mb signal cutting out a the moment with constant calls to Toucan to get on to BT and get it restored. They say that the line can only support 1.5Mb due the length of copper between here and the exchange. Hence my desire to improve my speed any way I can, and my question about routers v. modems.

I have tested my speed using various online speed tests. I get readings, depending on the time of day, from 180kbps to 1.9Mb download, and up to 225kbps upload. 

Yours, (quietly going demented), Justin


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

If you're some distance from the CO, you have no control over the speed. You can't fix that issue by changing local networking equipment.


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## Chronic Tech (Mar 14, 2006)

OK, thanks.


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