Introduction to Broadband Router Technology
A router is a device that forwards data packets from a source to a destination. Routers work on the OSI (Open System Interconnection) Layer 3, which forwards data packets using IP addresses and not a MAC (Media Access Control) address. A router will forward data from the Internet to a particular computer on your LAN.
The information that makes up the Internet gets moved around using routers. When you click on a link on a web page, you send a request to a server to show you the next page. The information that is sent and received from your computer is moved from your computer to the server using routers. A router also determines the best route that your information should follow to ensure that the information is delivered properly.
A router controls the amount of data that is sent through your network by eliminating information that should not be there. This provides security for the computers behind your router because computers from the outside cannot access or send information directly to any computer on your network. The router determines which computer the information should be forwarded to and sends it. If the information is not intended for any computer on your network, the data is discarded. This keeps any unwanted or harmful information from accessing or damaging your network.
Introduction to Firewalls
A firewall is a device that sits between your computer and the Internet that prevents unauthorized access to or from your network. A firewall can be a computer using firewall software or a special piece of hardware
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