Broadband router is a computer based device which is mainly used for setting up a network. The network can be either wired or a wireless network. These broadband routers are used to ensure that all the systems in a network can transmit data with each other across the broadband Internet. As the features of broadband devices are similar, you can use them for both wired and wireless networks with its support.



A broadband router actually transfers data packets along networks. It requires at least two networks for a router to connect, commonly it connects two LANs or WANs or a LAN and its ISP's network. As a connecter device, broadband routers are positioned at gateways, where two or more networks are connected.

A router (broadband router) is also a device that enables two or more computer to receive data packets from the Internet under one IP address at the same time. Remember that to be able to connect to the Internet, a computer must have an IP address unique from the rest of the computers. Therefore, every computer connected to the Internet has it own IP address. It is like having a fingerprint or ID as an access pass to be able to enter the web. With the presence of the router, this "fingerprint" or "ID" could be shared by two or more computer at the same time.

The presence of a router becomes essential in a network to find out hacking threats and virus attacks. Broadband routers can be used as a filter. Most of the broadband modems are not featured with in-built security features. Therefore if you use a network without router, it may welcome on-line hackers. You can get routers with built-in firewall features. It will be useful for you to have a safe and secure wired or wire-free network.

Broadband routers can be two types. One is ADSL modem router and the other is a cable routers. ADSL modem routers can only be used for ADSL broadband connections where as cable routers can also be used for cable broadband users. The mode of performance is similar in these two types of routers. The main dissimilarity between these two broadband routers is the mode of connection. ADSL Modem routers can easily be connected just by plug-in to share Internet connection. In case of cable routers, cable sockets and ports have to be used for getting the connection.

It should be taken into consideration that once a single Internet connection is divided, the connection speed is affected. But there are some broadband routers that would bring minimal slowdown to the Internet speed and the effect might not even be big. Internet speed would also depend on the type of application used in a router. While some would inflict little effect on the speed like online games, others would terribly slowdown your connection and even hinder you to use the Internet at all. Usually, offices use a more sophisticated router to redirect Internet connections to the large number of computers. These routers would give better data packeting compared to a typical router used at home that results to faster Internet speed.