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What is a Router?
In packet-switched networks such as with a wireless network (Wi-Fi or WiMax) and the Internet, a router is the device that determines the next network point to which data should be forwarded toward its destination. The router is connected to at least two networks and decides which way to send each information packet based on its current understanding of the state of the networks it is connected to. A router is located at any gateway (where one network meets another), including each point-of-presence on the Internet.
For wireless users in a public HotSpot a router has the additional advantage of acting as a hardware firewall. Many engineers believe that the use of a router provides better protection against hacking than a software firewall, because no computer IP (Internet Protocol) address are being directly exposed to the Internet. This makes port scans (a technique for exploring weaknesses) essentially impossible. In addition, a router does not consume computer resources as a software firewall does. Commercially manufactured routers are easy to install, reasonably priced, and available for both hard-wired and wireless networks.
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