🖀Modem 🖧Router – Simple Explanation (Animated)

My first mistake was that I bought a Router without knowing the Difference between Router and Modem. So I bought an DSL Modem instead of Router and tried to connect to the Internet with Ethernet Cable in DSL Socket. Actually it was DSL-Router Combo but you can connect to Internet just with a DSL Socket. Cause my Internet Provider brings internet and thrilling television directly.

As you can see, there are so many Sockets 🙂 

• First purple Socket looks like an RJ45-Socket(Actually it’s) for Ethernet Connection, but it’s a DSL-Socket.
• Next to DSL-Port there are two Telephone Ports and one USB-Port to Share your Files.
• Other four are RJ45-Sockets, also a Switch
• Next to Switch there is a Fiber Optic Port, but there is no Fiber Connection in my Village yet 🙂

I bought this on a Flea Markt, so there was no Explanation 🙂 And you can say now, if there are Telephone Ports, why didn’t you think, that should be a Modem. After this I started to learn about what does actually Router and what does a Modem. In this Article we are gonna see the difference between Router and Modem with Animationen and Pictures.

🖀Modem (MOdulator/DEModulator)

A modem is a Telecommunications Device that converts digital signals (from the computer interface) into analog signals (to the telephone network) and analog signals (from the telephone network) into digital signals (to the computer interface) via modulation and demodulation.

📑Task of a Modem

• Converting the binary data, control and message signals via the interface
• Signal conversion for connection establishment and termination
• Generating the data packets
• Clock recovery in synchronous networks
• Adaptation of the binary data signals to the transmission path

🖧Router

A router connects multiple networks with different protocols and architectures. A router decides via the routing table, which path a data packet takes. 

📑Task of a Router

• Determination of available routes
• Selection of the most suitable route taking into account various criteria
• Establishing a physical connection to other networks
• Adapting the data packets to the transmission technology (fragmentation)

📋Routing Table

The routing table contains a current route through the network.

• All known network addresses
• Connection types to other networks
• Route information to other routers

As you can see, If you want to send a Package A to C, Router chooses the shortes way for the Package. But Router controls the Ethernet Cables and Categories too. This means if there is a Cat3 10BaseT Cable between A > B > C, but between A > F > E > D > C there is a Cat6 1000BaseT Cable, Router decides for second way, cause its more faster. 

📍What is Hops?

If you want to send a Package to your friend, who lives somewhere else(another Country maybe). your Package will goes to each Router on your Way to friend. And every Router that your Package visits, counts a Hop. In our Sample up, if you ping the PC E from A, package will visit 2 Routers, thats why our Hop Amount is 2.

🖧Connecting two Networks with Router

You have to Connect two Network together, what would you do? Of course get a Router 🙂 Router called Standard-Gateway routes the Request from one Network to other Network, let’s see with simple Sketch.

First Network is192.168.1.0 and second Network 192.168.100.1. If you want to connect these two Network either you have to change Subnetmask or use a Router. Changing the Subnetmask can not be a got choise, cause lets say you have 100 Clients in Network, what are you gonna do? Change every Subnetmask of Client, of course not 🙂 That’s why we use rather Router. All you have to do is, connect the router between two Network and give the Clients Standard-Gateway(Router’s IP).

Install the Filius Sample

You can use this Sample in Filius, which great Software to understand Networking. I hope you understand difference between Router and Modem, If you have a Question or something write Comment down below!