CodeCharge StudioIf you are connected to the Internet from your workplace, you are usually not connected directly, but via a router which is used to join two networks. A router that connects a private network to the Internet is also known as a gateway.
The router "routes" the traffic between computers and networks and sends the packets of information to the destination through the shortest available path on the network. If you send information to the computer next to you, for example, the router does not need to send anything to the Internet. However, if you want to view a web page on the Internet, the router will send your request to another gateway that it determines as being closest to the destination server.
If you connect to the Internet from home, you will need a router, bridge, or a modem to translate signals from your local computer or network to the format needed to enable data to travel to and from the Internet. The modem is usually used to connect a single computer to the Internet via an ISP by converting digital data into analog signals for transmission over a telephone line. If you use a DSL connection, you can connect to the DSL line via a DSL bridge or router. The bridge converts the DSL signal to the format used by your local network and can be used to directly connect several computers to the Internet. A DSL router is more expensive, but can provide an Internet connection for your entire local area network.
A router can also include a proxy server that provides the ability to share a single IP address among multiple computers connected to the Internet. This preserves the number of IP addresses you use and adds extra security since the public IP address belongs to the router and your local computers cannot be accessed from the Internet without a valid IP address. Another function of a proxy server is to store and cache the data, so that local computers can obtain some of the frequently accessed information without connecting to the Internet.