Modem and Routers

My neighbor just brought home what he calls a Router but actually what most cable companies do today is they combine the Modem and the Router in the same device. So, the new units tend to be tall (up to 1 foot tall and about 1 1/2 inches to 2 inches wide which now combines the technologies of both devices into one.

You need both devices for your computer to be able to talk to the Wifi (which is actually the cable modem and the router combined with some aspects of your computer or device you are using). So, the modem and router then take you outside of your house to Servers (which are actually more like Slave Computers programmed and designed now for a specific function). Most servers are like relay stations mostly to relay your signals to other servers that might contain the web site you are looking for somewhere on earth.

But, without a Modem and Router working for you you couldn't do any of this.
Today's modems are often called "Wireless Modems" as opposed to dial-up modems when more people used to send their computer signals over phone lines.

Modem:

Modem - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

router:

1.  
   

   • Router (computing), a computer networking device