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Modem, Router, Switch, and Access Point:

What's the Difference?
What is a modem? What is a router? Do you know a switch from a hub? If you don't
know the di�erence between all the devices that help you get online, this guide
explains it all.

By Whitson Gordon
Updated October 6, 2023

(Credit: Teerasan Phu�higorn / Shu�erstock)

These Features Can Be Combined Into Single Units

Connecting to the internet seems simple. You hop on your Wi-Fi, load up Facebook, and boom;
you're connected! But when something goes wrong—or it's time to upgrade your equipment

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to something faster—you'll need to understand what all those li�le boxes with the blinking
lights actually do.

Don't know the di�erence between a modem and a router? Unsure what an access point
does compared to a switch? Here's a quick rundown of the basic networking gear that keeps
your home connected.

A Modem Connects You to the Internet

Netgear CM600 modem (Credit: Netgear )

A modem is your gateway to the internet—a cable, �ber optic, or telephone line comes
through your neighborhood, to your house, and connects to your modem. The modem
translates the digital 1s and 0s from your computer into analog information for the cable or
telephone wire to carry out to the world, and translates incoming analog signals in the same
way.

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This process is called modulation and demodulation , respectively, and it’s where the “mo-
dem” gets its name. Typically, your internet service provider (ISP) will o�er you a modem for a
small monthly fee. Depending on which ISP you use, however, you may be able to buy your
own modem and save some money.

A Router Connects Your Devices to the Modem

TP-Link Archer AX50 router (Credit: TP-Link)

Standalone modems aren't able to send data to multiple devices simultaneously. They usually
only have one Ethernet port, and only produce one IP address, which identi�es your location
to the internet. A router connects to all your home's devices (and links them to each other)
—through Ethernet cables or Wi-Fi—and then connects to the modem.

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A router also gives each device its own internal IP address, which it uses to route tra�c
between them. If your modem's IP address is like the street address of a building, your
router's internal IP addresses are like apartment numbers.

Your modem receives information from the internet, sends it to the router, and the router
sends it to the computer that asked for it. (That way, your phone doesn't receive the cat videos
you asked for on your laptop.)

The network created by your router is known as a local area network, or LAN, and it connects
you to a larger wide area network, or WAN. In most home cases, your WAN is, for all intents
and purposes, "the internet."

An Access Point Adds Wireless Connectivity

Netgear AX6000 wireless access point (Credit: Netgear )

Once upon a time, all computers connected to the internet through a jumble of wires. Today,
though, we have the ability to connect all those devices to your home network over Wi-Fi. To
do that, you need something to broadcast that wireless signal.

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A wireless access point connects to your router, usually over Ethernet, and communicates
with your Ethernet-less devices over wireless frequencies. Most home users have routers
with wireless access points built in, but standalone access points are still common for
businesses, since you can pair multiple access points together to extend your network over a
large area.

More recently, mesh network kits have become common for larger homes with lots of dead
spots, since they allow multiple units to blanket your house in Wi-Fi more e�ectively
than range extenders. These can act as wireless access points if you already have a router, or
they can take on the job of a router as well—though usually with fewer advanced features.

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A Switch Connects Extra Computers to the Router

TP-Link TL-SG108 switch (Credit: TP-Link)

All routers come with built-in Ethernet ports, but depending on the size and class of router
you buy, there may not be enough to plug in all your devices—especially in the age of smart
home tech, which often require numerous, hard-wired base stations.

If you run out of Ethernet ports on your router, a switch can add more Ethernet ports to your
network. You just plug your extra devices into the switch, plug the switch into your router, and

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they'll appear on your network. Note that you need a router in order to use a switch. A switch
can't assign IP addresses or create a network like your router can—it merely acts as a tra�c
cop for the signals coming through.

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In addition, don't confuse a switch with a hub, which looks almost identical but acts very
di�erently. Instead of routing tra�c between multiple devices, a hub merely takes an
incoming signal and copies it to all devices on the hub. These are uncommon in modern home
usage.

These Features Can Be Combined Into Single Units

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(Credit: robuart/Shu�erstock)

Not everyone has a separate modem, router, and access point in their home. These days, you'll
�nd a lot of these features combined into one device. For example, as we mentioned above,
most people use wireless routers, which combine a router with a wireless access point.

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Many people even use modem router combo units, which contain a modem, router, and
wireless access point all in one device. These can save space and eliminate some wires, but
just like shampoo and conditioner, some people like to keep these devices separate, since it
allows for more choices.

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Ruth Littlefield
24 October, 2022
I have a Netgear Modem Router wireless. I am the only one who uses it. Should I
consider anything else?
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About Whitson Gordon

Contributing Writer

Whitson Gordon is a writer, gamer, and tech nerd who has been building PCs for 10 years. He
eats potato chips with chopsticks so he doesn't get grease on his mechanical keyboard.

Read Whitson's full bio

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