Equipment Needed

Ensure you get the right hardware

The first thing we need to address is the difference between a modem and a router and for our cousins across the pond in the USA a router (pronounced rowtar). If you are English then the router (rowtar) is a woodworking tool, if you are American a router (rowtar) is what we are talking about here, confussed??? Blame the Americans we invented English and they messed it up!

A modem is what most ISP's (Internet Service Providers) used to give away free, they tend to be a USB unit that appears to dial up to the Internet when you want to connect. A router is a similar unit and can still have a USB in some cases but they also have at least 1 (in some cases 4) LAN or network ports. A router is also permanently connected to the Internet (unless you switch it off) so there is no dial up proceedure on your PC.

If you want to have more than 1 PC access the Internet at the same time, such as in an office or maybe you want your PC online at the same time as the kids upstairs you will need a router. If you currently have a modem you will need to change it, we have a range of routers on our web shop.

A router will allow an unlimited number of computer (or Internet ready devices such as games consoles etc) to access the Internet at teh same time by routing the Internet traffic accordingly, it will also try to share the bandwidth available as evenly as it can. An additional advantage of a router is the fact that they have built in Firewalls to stop people hacking into your PC whilst you are online, this is something that is possible when you are using a modem, unless you have some firewall software on your PC.