Sep 17, 2013

Understanding Wireless Router

Overview

A wireless router performs the functions of a router and a wireless access point. This device determines the network point to which a packet of data should be forwarded to reach its destination. Wireless routers are devices that are capable of connecting one computer or an entire network to another computer or another entire network. Wireless routers allow you to access a network or Internet without the use of cables. These routers are only used to connect computers, media players, game consoles, and printers.


Wireless routers are usually available at prices beginning at $95. The cost of the router varies depending on your brand, security preferences, and network needs.

Benefits

Wireless routers are convenient and inexpensive. They allow you to have network access even when you are mobile within a specified area. You do not need to be confined by wires when setting up your home or professional network. It is a standalone device that is always on and does not require a computer to be switched on for it to operate. Wireless routers also provide an extra layer of security against malicious programs such as viruses, which can infect your computers through an Internet connection. These routers have built-in security features such as firewalls and password protection. You can share a single Internet connection between multiple computers using a router.

How It Works

These routers function in the same way as a wireless phone. They are hooked up to a cable or a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) Internet connection and use radio frequency waves instead of telephone lines to transmit and receive signals. After receiving the signal, the wireless router decodes it and sends the data to the Internet. It can also receive data from web and transform it into a radio signal and then send it to the computer. Service Set Identifier (SSID) and Wireless Equivalent Privacy (WEP) improve the security and speed of wireless Internet access.

Wireless routers require at least two networks for a router to connect. They are commonly used to connect Local Area Networks (LANs) or Wide Area Networks (WANs) or a LAN and its Internet Service Provider (ISP) network. All wireless routers have a port that connects to a DSL or cable modem and an integrated switch that facilitates a network connection.

As a connector device, routers are positioned at gateways where two or more networks are connected. These routers uses headers and tables determine the best path for transferring data packets among networks. They use protocols such as Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) to communicate with one other and thus configure the best route for data transfer between hosts.

Companies/Brand

NetGear, Belkin, CISCO, TP-Link, Edimax, MikroTik, Alfa, and D-Link manufacture wireless routers.

0 comments:

Post a Comment