Uses of a Network Router

Network Router

By Anne Ahira

A home or business network is never complete without its nodes that are connected to each other.

Setting up a network can be as easy as taking two computers and connecting them with a crossover cable.

But when it comes to setting up a bigger network that involves more computers, more wires are needed and several devices need to be set up especially if they all need to connect to the Internet.

The same goes with devices that need to access the network wirelessly. The one device that is commonly used in a network is the network router because even the most basic routers play multiple roles in the network.

Manages Computer Connections

After all of the connections are secure, manual configuration of the IP addresses is required when using a hub. Modern network routers utilize DHCP to automatically assign an IP to each computer or device in such a way that conflicts do not occur.

It combines it with port forwarding to ensure that foreign data is correctly routed to a set computer. All of these settings along with many other advanced settings can be accessed via a control panel that is loaded through the web browser by typing its router address.

Shares Internet Connections

Internet service providers usually set up a modem that hooks up to the main computer for exclusive Internet access whether it is cable or DSL. If there is no wireless capability, a network router is required to fill in the role of sharing the Internet with others even if the main computer is switched off.

A network router is also required to route certain data aimed a specific port to the user-defined computer for better control when the Internet IP address is accessed.

Keeps Network Safe

Once a computer or device is hooked up to the network router via cable, the device can interact with other computers as long as the other nodes grant access. This can put computers that allow guest access at risk especially if their systems aren’t fully patched.

Wireless network routers that use protected access protocols like WPA and WPA2 make sure that the wireless network is kept safe by requiring an authentication key that is to be set by the network admin and stored in the network router.

In addition, network routers may also have a firewall that works similarly to a software firewall which is responsible for blocking any attacks or data from remote sources outside the network.

The advantage of this type of firewall is that the router tries to prevent any unauthorized data from entering any of the computers even if the computers do not have proper software protection. It is still good to have even if these computers are protected for an extra layer of security.

The actual uses of a network router vary depending on the model. Most models including some very affordable ones perform the three uses listed above nicely making it an essential component to any busy network that needs speed and safety.

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