Technology

Do I Need Both a Modem and Router for WiFi?

If you want to get connected with the broadband internet connection, then using both a modem and a router for WiFi should be the best way to experience a faster and comfortable browsing. Broadband internet connection makes your digital life easier by gaming, watching videos, buying music and other internet browsing related things.

According to wikirouter.com, you need both a modem and a router for WiFi if you get connected to the broadband internet connection. Because when you want to use broadband connection, your ISP provider’s Ethernet cable will be connected to the modem and then you have to bypass the connection to a router which will supply the data to other devices at home. So, for faster connection and more secure connection, you need nothing but both a modem and a router for WiFi.

What is a modem?

The core role of a modem is that it receives the data comes from your ISP and translate the data and then transfer to the computer. And, you know that you have to keep the modem between the two devices- your router and the laptop or desktop. Also, as computers can understand only digital signals, your modem does the same thing to translate the data as digital signals to your computer.

If you have a close look to the transmission system of data to your computer, then you will see that the cables your ISP use cannot transmit the data into digital signals directly to the computer. That’s why you need a modem which is capable of transmitting the data from your ISP to digital signals which is easy for the computer to read.

What is a router?

When it comes to understand about the router, it is pretty simple to understand. To transfer data, a router is used. Yes, you have to connect an Ethernet cable to the back of your router that comes from the modem. Then you can transfer the data into different devices at home including your mobile phones, tablets, laptops and other similar devices.

The router helps to supply WiFi channels to your home devices so that they can simultaneously use internet connection to their devices from the router. Don’t think that routers are just routers nowadays. Because modern routers come with VPN compatibility which enables you and all the devices at home to keep protected and hide your IP address and other potential data from the cybercriminals and monitoring agencies out there.

Modem VS Router: Which Do You Need?

If you want to get connected to the internet with all your home devices including phones, tablets, laptops and other things, then you will be needing both a modem and a router. But there are some cases as well when you don’t require to have both, meaning that you can do your work with only a modem or a router.

You don’t need a modem

You already know that modem is being used to translate the data into digital signals so that the computer can read them. As a result, you can easily get connected to the internet. But you also know that copper cables and phone cables are not capable of sending direct digital signal to your computer, right? In this case, you may be get confused, right?

Well, if you want to eliminate the need of a modem and want to directly connect the ISP cable to your computer, then you have to have a close look at the cable. Yes, now most ISP uses fiber-optic cable which can directly transmit the data into digital signals to your computer. Now it should be clear to you that you don’t need a modem if you can use fiber optic cables directly to your computer.

You don’t need a router

Fiber optic cables eliminate the need of using a modem to transmit the data into digital signal to the router so that other home devices can get connected to the router. As we have already mentioned in this article that modem sends digital signals to your computer which is easy for the device to read them. Now the question is- do you need a router, actually? Well, the straightforward answer of the query is dependable.

If you want to run different home devices, then you will be needing a router to distribute them. But if you require to connect the internet connection to your computer directly, then what is the use of a router? Because the modem can transmit the data into digital signal to your computer. But if you secure your home connection using a VPN, then you must need a wifi router because you cannot use a VPN to the modem.

One device can do both work

Maybe, you are wondering that how can it be possible using one device for both work, right? Well, In this case, a single device can directly plug into the modem and other to your computer for surfing the internet. A modem/router combo can help you out in this situation. Your ISP should provide you a router which will work as to handle both sending digital signals and receiving data from your ISP.

Also, you can separately use a dedicated router for your home use. In this case, before you head over to purchase a router, you have to make sure that there is a setting in your modem/router setting. If it allows you to use a dedicated router, all you have to do is just disable the function of a router from the combo device and you are ready to use the dedicated router you have bought.

Final Thought

Depending on your requirements, you have to decide whether you need a modem and a router. You use only a modem to use internet because it is able to send digital signals to your home computer. Also, if you are going to use internet connection to all your home devices, then you need to use both a router and a modem. You can also find a modem/router combo device which can work as both to maximize the use of internet browsing.

Atif Mallo

Atif Mallo is a freelance blogger with huge interest in technology, science, life hacks and health. He loves coffee, cheesecake and chess. Drop a line in comments to leave feedback for him.

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