Table of Contents
Main types of routers available and their unique features to help you pick the perfect one for your needs.
Broadband Routers
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Broadband routers:
- Popular for connecting computers and to the Internet.
- Necessary if you use Voice over IP (VOIP) technology and connect to the Internet through a phone line.
- Often a special type of modem (ADSL) with both Ethernet and phone jacks.
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Advantages of broadband routers:
- Equipped with a modem, eliminating the need for an additional device to connect to the Internet.
- Offer fast internet speeds.
- Can connect multiple devices.
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Potential drawbacks of broadband routers:
- Susceptible to hacking and unauthorized access if not properly secured.
- Wireless broadband routers can experience interference from other electronic devices, leading to signal drops or reduced speeds.
- The wireless signal range can be limited, especially in large homes or offices, potentially requiring additional equipment like range extenders.
Wireless Routers
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Wireless routers have become increasingly popular:
- Create a wireless signal in your home or office.
- Allow any PC within range to connect and use the Internet.
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Advantages of wireless routers:
- Provide internet access to multiple devices without wires or cables.
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Potential drawbacks of wireless routers:
- Less secure than wired routers, as anyone within range can potentially access your network.
Other Types of Routers
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Edge Routers:
- Placed at the edge of the ISP network.
- Configured to external protocols like BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) to connect with other ISPs or large organizations.
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Subscriber Edge Routers:
- Belong to an end-user organization (e.g., enterprise).
- Configured to broadcast external BGP to the provider's AS(s).
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Inter-provider Border Routers:
- Used for interconnecting ISPs.
- BGP-speaking routers that maintain BGP sessions with other BGP routers in different providers' ASes.
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Core Routers:
- Located within the middle or backbone of the LAN network, not at the periphery.
- Provide a step-down backbone, connecting distribution routers from multiple buildings on a campus (LAN) or large enterprise location (WAN).
- Optimized for high bandwidth.
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Wired and Wireless Routers:
- Popular for home and small office networking.
- Maintain routing and configuration information in their routing tables.
- Filter incoming and outgoing traffic based on IP addresses.
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