Router is a very important device in our network today. We are almost using the Router every day once we need to connect the network. It’s no doubt that: no router, no network.
However, do you really know the Router, about its concept, type, history or other things?
Here, I will tell you something about router.
1. What is Router?
(1) Concept
A router is a networking device that forwards data packets between computer networks.
Router is connected to the network in the LAN or WAN equipment. It will automatically select and set the route according to the channel to the best path, in order to send the signal.
In other word, Router is the hub of the Internet, “a traffic police.”
Currently, Router has been widely used in our life. A variety of different grades of products has become to achieve various backbone network connections, backbone network and backbone network connections, and Internet interconnection business of the main force.
The main difference between a router and a switch is that the switch takes place at Layer 2 (the data link layer) of the OSI reference model, and the router takes place at the third layer, the network layer. This distinction determines the routing and the switch in the process of moving information need to use different control information.
(2) Transmission Media
Router includes local router and remote router.
The local router is used to connect network transmission media, such as optical fiber, coaxial cable, twisted pair.
The remote router is used to connect the remote transmission medium, and requires the corresponding set. For example, a telephone line to be equipped with a modem, wireless to pass through the wireless receiver, the transmitter.
(3) Structure
When we select a router, we always need to focus on:
– Interface type
– Number of slots available to the user
– CPU
– Memory (DRAM, Flash Memory, etc.)
– Port density
These find things are important for us to recognize which router is low-end and which one is high-end. After all, the better, the more expensive.
(4) Function
Ⅰ. Connect the Different Network
From the perspective of filtering network traffic, the role of routers, switches and bridges are very similar. However, with the work in the network physical layer, from the physical division of the network segment of the switch, the router uses a special software protocol logically divide the entire network.
For example, an IP-enabled router can divide a network into multiple subnet segments, and only network traffic to a particular IP address can pass through the router. For each received packet, the router recalculates its checksum and writes the new physical address. Therefore, using a router to forward and filter data is often slower than a switch that only looks at the packet’s physical address. However, for complex networks, the use of routers can improve the overall efficiency of the network. Another obvious advantage of the router is the ability to automatically filter network broadcasts.
Ⅱ. Information Transfer
The so-called “routing” refers to the data from one place to another place. This behavior or action is the router’s implementation. Router is a connection to multiple networks or Network segment, which can “translate” the data between different networks or segments so that they can “read” each other’s data to form a larger network.
2. History
Router is only about 40 years old but it plays one of the most important role in the network. This image can show you the history of Router.
3. Types of Routers
There are several types of routers in the market. We will introduce the main three types in other articles, including Broadband Routers, Wireless Routers and Other Routers.
(1) Broadband Routers
Broadband routers can do different types of things. Broadband routers can be used to connect computers or to connect to the Internet.
If you connect to the internet through phone and using Voice over IP technology (VOIP) then you need broadband router. These are often a special type of modem (ADSL) that will have both Ethernet and phone jacks.
(2) Wireless Routers
Wireless routers create a wireless signal in your home or office. So, any PC within range of Wireless routers can connect it and use your Internet.
In order to secure your Wireless routers, you simply need to come secure it with password or get your IP address. Then, you’ll log on into your router with the user ID and passwords will that come with your router.
(3) Other Type of Router
Ⅰ. Edge Router
This type of router are placed at the edge of the ISP network, the are normally configured to external protocol like BGP (Border gateway protocol) to another BGP of other ISP or large organization.
Ⅱ. Subscriber Edge Router
This type of router belongs to an end user (enterprise) organization. It’s configured to broadcast external BGP to it’s provider’s AS(s)
Ⅲ. Inter-provider Border Router
This type of router is for Interconnecting ISPs. This is a BGP speaking router that maintains BGP sessions with other BGP speaking routers in other providers’ ASes.
Ⅳ. Core Router
A router that resides within the middle or backbone of the LAN network rather than at its periphery. In some instances, a core router provides a stepdown backbone, interconnecting the distribution routers from multiple building of a campus (LAN), or Large enterprise Location (WAN). They tend to be optimized for a high brandwidth.
Ⅴ. Wired and Wireless Routers
Home and small office networking is becoming popular by day by the use of IP wired and wireless router. Wired and wireless router are able to maintain routing and configuration information in their routing table. They also provide the service of filtering traffic of incoming and outgoing packets based on IP addresses.
Some wireless routers combines the functions of router with those of a network switch and that of a firewall in one.
4. Hot Brands
Now in the market, there are many brands of routers. We have many options than before. If you want to buy a classic one, you can choose Cisco Routers. If you like new, good quality or cheap one, you can select other brands, including Huawei Routers, TP-Link Routers, Linksys Routers, Zyxel Routers, etc.
