Main type of routers

Table of Contents

• Broadband Routers
• Wireless Routers
• Other Types of Routers

Main types of routers available and their unique features to help you pick the perfect one for your needs.

Broadband Routers

• Broadband routers:

  • Popular for connecting computers and to the Internet.
  • Necessary if you use Voice over IP (VOIP) technology and connect to the Internet through a phone line.
  • Often a special type of modem (ADSL) with both Ethernet and phone jacks.

• Advantages of broadband routers:

  • Equipped with a modem, eliminating the need for an additional device to connect to the Internet.
  • Offer fast internet speeds.
  • Can connect multiple devices.

• Potential drawbacks of broadband routers:

  • Susceptible to hacking and unauthorized access if not properly secured.
  • Wireless broadband routers can experience interference from other electronic devices, leading to signal drops or reduced speeds.
  • The wireless signal range can be limited, especially in large homes or offices, potentially requiring additional equipment like range extenders.

Wireless Routers

• Wireless routers have become increasingly popular:

  • Create a wireless signal in your home or office.
  • Allow any PC within range to connect and use the Internet.

• Advantages of wireless routers:

  • Provide internet access to multiple devices without wires or cables.

• Potential drawbacks of wireless routers:

  • Less secure than wired routers, as anyone within range can potentially access your network.

Other Types of Routers

• Edge Routers:

  • Placed at the edge of the ISP network.
  • Configured to external protocols like BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) to connect with other ISPs or large organizations.

• Subscriber Edge Routers:

  • Belong to an end-user organization (e.g., enterprise).
  • Configured to broadcast external BGP to the provider's AS(s).

• Inter-provider Border Routers:

  • Used for interconnecting ISPs.
  • BGP-speaking routers that maintain BGP sessions with other BGP routers in different providers' ASes.

• Core Routers:

  • Located within the middle or backbone of the LAN network, not at the periphery.
  • Provide a step-down backbone, connecting distribution routers from multiple buildings on a campus (LAN) or large enterprise location (WAN).
  • Optimized for high bandwidth.

• Wired and Wireless Routers:

  • Popular for home and small office networking.
  • Maintain routing and configuration information in their routing tables.
  • Filter incoming and outgoing traffic based on IP addresses.