Cable & DSL Routers
For home and small businesses, an Internet router (or gateway) is an essential networking tool. Like wireless routers, cable and DSL routers
How Home Gateways Work
Gateways for home use are usually multi-purpose -- acting as a router, security device, and Internet access exchange manager. These devices are more powerful than a software-based router because they create a network for multiple computers that is equal in all respects. Because there is no dominating computer to act as an administrator over the other computers, the main computer can be turned off while the others continue to function normally.
The gateway also allows you to manage TCP/IP addresses to choose which are viewable or not to the rest of the Internet. Often, all you will broadcast is one IP address while the rest remain anonymous. This is a security feature of all gateways made possible by DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) and NAT (Network Address Translation).
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Features to Look For
- No software required. Online help guides and user-friendly interface setups are very helpful for first-timers and allow advanced users to adjust settings and configurations to their liking.
- Easy setup. A universal plug-and-play model makes setting up and using your router as simple as possible.
- Connectivity. There should be plenty of available uplink ports on the router so that you can expand your network as needed in the future. There may be extra links for hubs, switches, and other connectors and cables.
- FTP support. If you plan on using an FTP server, you may want this built into the router's software.
- Built-in firewall. An important and necessary security feature.
- Parental controls. If you are sharing Internet access with computers that are used by children, parental controls are a convenient way of keeping youngsters safe via URL filtering and domain blocking.
Cable vs. DSL
Which is faster?
- Speed difference does vary between cable and DSL, and most assume that cable is faster than DSL because cable runs at 30 Mbps and DSL at 10 Mbps. While this assumption is true to a point, there are other influences that determine how well cable functions. Still, cable tends to be the connection of choice in the United States.
- If available, VDSL has the capacity to support 30 Mbps as well.
- In neighborhoods where there are many cable users, individual user speed may diminish.
- Internet traffic affects speed on both Cable and DSL.
- Your home network system should support the Internet speed connection for optimum results. However, service providers often put a speed limitation on the cable and DSL, slowing down the bandwidth/connection speed.
Which is safer?
- DSL claims to be a safer network while providing a more stable way of accessing the Internet. However, there is little evidence to support these claims.
- DSL is pricer and more complex to install, which keeps it from exceeding cable in popularity.
- Because cable is setup as a LAN (local area network), in theory it would be possible to exchange information between all the computers on that network as well as access other people's IP addresses and other supposedly secure information. Firewalls have been implemented in a great number of cases to thwart such activities.