A router is a piece of technology that routes data between networks and devices. It gets inbound data bits from other networks and either forwards them to the local network's target device or to the next network in its course. A router can also control the network to favor particular data and devices, operate a firewall, and maintain records of activity.

Every machine and gadget connected to a home gateway receives an IP address via DHCP. While the network a router generates is not constrained by the number of ports it has, the average residential router has a few Ethernet connections for connecting PCs and other devices. The number of devices that can be directly linked to the network and all controlled by the router can be increased by connecting a switch (or several switches) to the router. A lot of residential modems also build (Wi-Fi) networks that enable wireless Internet connectivity.

Despite the fact that some ISP-provided house routers also have a built-in modem, it's crucial to understand that modems and routers have two distinct purposes.

• To establish a link to the Internet, a modem transforms the data information from a computer network into a code that can be relayed over telephone or cable lines. The Provider assigns an IP address to a computer.
• Through a linked modem, a router controls all data transmission on a local area network between different devices and the Internet at large.

Core Routers

The biggest, most potent routers are referred to as core routers, and they control the backbone of the Internet by transmitting data globally. To transport Internet data between their clients and other Providers, ISPs have their own networks. Local area network (LAN) and Internet data are coordinated by small household gateways. On its way from one machine to another over the Internet, data must travel through a lot of networks.