Network Devices: Repeater, Router, Gateway

Router. A router is a special purpose device (hardware) that handles the connection between two or more networks either through
Ethernet cables (wired) or a wireless connection.
A router is a network device that serves two primary functions:
1. It connects multiple computers, phones, tablets, or other devices to form a managed local area network, and
2. It provides Internet access to all of the compatible devices that are connected to the router.
A router links the computers to the Internet from modem. This is known as a home network. Router

is mainly a Network Layer device. It routes data packets based

on their Internet Protocol addresses and assumes that all of the
attached devices on the networks use the same communication
architecture and protocols.

A router is connected to at least two networks, commonly two LANs or WANs (Wide Area Networks) or a LAN and its
ISPs (Internet Service Provider’s) network.
You know that a modem is the device that communicates with your Internet Service Provider over the telephone or
cable line. So, the difference is that a modem is used to connect to the internet, and a router is used to deliver the
internet information to wired and wireless devices.
Nowadays, many modems include a built-in router functions as well as modem functions. For example, Devices that
connect to your router are the computers, tablets, smartphones, DVRs, game systems, etc.
 1. A device that forwards data packets from one network to
another by finding the shortest route, based on an internal
routing table and the address of the destination network in the
incoming packet, the router determines whether to send the
packet out or keep it within the network.

On internet, it is not necessary that all the packets will follow the same path from source to destination. A special machine called
router tries to load balance between various paths that exist on networks. Routers can attach physically different networks.
WIRELESS
ROUTER 4 Ethernet
Ports (LAN) USB 2.0 Port

Internet Port
(WAN)

Power
USB 3.0 Port Connector

Reset button
(Restore settings)
 Wired device

Internet Devices using WIFI

Modem Router
1. A Repeater is a device that is used to amplify and regenerate a signal which is on its way through a communication channel. A repeater
regenerates the received signal and re-transmits it to its destination.

Repeater: As signals travel along a network cable (or any other medium of transmission), they degrade
and become distorted in a process that is called attenuation. A device called repeater is used to
strengthen, regenerate data and voice signals to travel longer distances over a network.The main function
is to receive a network signal from one LAN terminal cable segment and to regenerate and retransmit the
signal as it is in its original strength over one or more other cable segment.

Repeater is used to regenerate data and voice signals when they become weaker before reaching destination
node. Repeater reads the incoming packet and amplifies it and transmits it to another segment of the network.
A gateway is a device that connects dissimilar networks .

Gateway. A gateway device connects or links the LAN with the

internet. The gateway works like a portal among two programs
by means of communications between protocol and permit them
to share data on same computers or among different computers
and even in different networking models. They basically work
as the messenger agents that take data from one system, interpret it, and transfer it to another
system. Gateways are also called protocol converters and can
operate at any network layer. Gateways are generally more
complex than switch or router. If you are using DSL connection
(with telephone line) then you must need a DSL modem in your
network. The DSL modem acts like a gateway to provide
wireless network. The gateway also gives us entry into different
networks so we can send email, look at Web pages, buy things
online, and more.

Gateway is a special machine, which allows different electronic networks to talk to Internet that uses
TCP/IP.