A router is just what it says, it routes a signal to other devices. With broadband, you connect the router to a broadband modem, ADSL or cable, modem output to the WAN port on the router. You then connect up to four PCs to the router, plugged into the LAN ports on the router. You can now surf from the broadband connection from each PC. You can also access each PC for file sharing and printer sharing. The PC connections go through the router and the router routes traffice between the PCs or enable all PCs to surf at the same time. This is commonly called a Home Network.
Routers can be hard wired or wireless. The PCs can have NICs that are wired or wireless. I have three PCs connected via Ethernet cables, and a laptop using a wireless PCMCIA NIC.
HTH,
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I know what an ethernet modem is ( one which connects to an NIC for broadband or network connection, e.g. DSL) as distinct from a USB broadband modem (which connects to a USB port); but what is an ADSL Ethernet Bridge Modem ? and What is a Router - is it a device or a special modem which distributes shared Internet or network connections to various computers ? Thanks
christy

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