Network routers

Network routers and switches are implicitly necessary in making the internet, and by association most of the modern world, work. Put simply, they are used to connect computers together; larger industrial ones route huge amounts of data, whereas smaller home ones make the users life more convenient by allowing them to browse the internet wirelessly etc.

They work by performing an operation called NAT, which stands for network address translation. It simply means the process whereby the router will direct packets of data from one computer to the internet and when packets are returned from the net intended for a specific computer they will be routed correctly to each individual device; smart phones, game consoles, computers, laptops etc. Can all be connected to a device and share the same internet connection.

There are various different models of device on the market and depending on the amount you spend you will get a different quality of device and more features. The the more expensive models use features such as quality of service to prioritize packets of data depending on what they are used for.

For example, if you are using Skype or are an avid gamer, interruptions or delays in the flow of packets will hinder your performance in the game will cause problems to the quality of the call. A more expensive device can usually prioritize these types of applications over, for example, somebody simply downloading.

One of the main issues people see with home wireless is that, because many people in the same area will use the same wireless bandwidth, people can experience slow speed and interrupted service. There is often a simple way to alleviate this type of problem: go to the settings page of the device and change what is called its channel until the level of service is improved.