![]() We research options, new technology, share tips, review services, and more, at no cost to our readers. Our goal at is to help people save money on the TV they love and access it on-the-go. Both your modem and router probably have a sticker with their make, model, and serial number, but the router’s sticker will also have its IP address, default log-in credentials, and security type. Routers can also be identified by the information on their stickers. If you see a connection to the wall or if a phone cable or coaxial cable is coming from your device instead of ethernet, you are probably looking at the modem and not the router. Follow the ethernet cable from your modem, and you’ll find the router on the other end. Most routers will have at least one external antenna, which is used to generate a Wi-Fi network.Īs with your modem, the easiest way to identify your router is based on its connections. Routers typically have at least three ethernet ports, and many have five or more. Just trace the cable from the wall to the first device it connects to, and you’ll find your modem. Depending on what type of internet you have, your modem will connect either to your home phone lines through a phone cord or to cable lines using a coaxial cable (the round one with a wire in the center). The easiest way to tell which device is your modem is its connection to your internet service. Unlike routers, modems typically do not have any antennae. One is an ethernet port that can connect to the router or a single computer, and the other connects to your internet service, generally through a phone or cable line. Most stand-alone modems have only two ports. So how do you tell which one is your router and which one is your modem? What Does a Modem Look Like? There’s a good chance they’re both rectangular and black. They probably look remarkably similar - each is a box with a line of connection ports and a row of flashing lights. Unless you have a modem-and-router combo, two devices are sitting between your computer and the internet. If you can do all that but your internet provider gave you only one device rather than two, then you’re probably working with a combination modem and router, which basically means it’s both devices in one plastic box. You need a modem to connect to the internet, as well as a router to use more than one internet-connected device at a time. Your Wi-Fi is run by your router, not your modem - but it needs your modem’s help to connect to the internet. Routers can work with just cables, but modern routers also create a network out of thin air: your Wi-Fi network. ![]() All routers work with every type of internet service, so you can readily buy a better router if you choose to. As with modems, internet providers typically charge a rental fee for using their routers. Your internet provider probably gave you a router when they installed your internet service. If you had a modem but no router, you wouldn’t be able to. This happens quickly enough that you can actually use more than one internet-connected device at a time. When the modem receives a packet of information from the internet, it sends it to the router, which distributes it to the appropriate computer in your network. Routers act as sorting facilities, giving the modem a single point of contact with your home network. Modems know how to talk to the internet, but they can do it for only one device at a time. Routers play an important role in your connection to the internet. Routers provide multiple ethernet ports for wired connections and produce a Wi-Fi network for wireless connections. Your router connects all your devices (computers, phones, streaming devices) together, creating your home network. If you buy your own modem, make sure to get one made for the type of internet service you use. In particular, internet providers charge a rental fee for their modems, which quickly adds up to more than the cost of your own modem. You could use that device forever, but there are reasons to buy your own modem. When your internet provider sets up your service, they’ll provide a modem if you don’t already have one. There are multiple types of internet modems, each built for a specific type of internet service. Modems act as translators, converting signals from the internet into a language any computer can understand. Computers don’t know how to “talk” directly to the internet, and it would be impractical to require every computer to have the ports and understanding to communicate with every type of internet service (DSL, cable, fiber, etc.). Your modem connects your computer (or network of computers) to the internet.
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