Can you replace a cable modem with a router?

wonka

Hi,

My brother has a cable modem supplied by virgin media. It only has one ethernet port, and no wifi.

I've suggested he buys a 4-port wireless router (e.g. Linksys WRT54GL-UK) which should do the trick, but I believe this still needs to be connected to his cable modem.

He asked me a question I honestly couldn't answer (I've only ever used ADSL routers) which was: is it possible to *replace* the cable modem with just one device that can take the cable input, and provide eithernet ports and wifi?

I would've guessed that you must leave the cable modem alone and just connect devices to it, but thought I would throw the question out to all the experts out there....

PasturesNew

I shared a house with somebody with a cable modem.
I popped out, bought a wireless router, plugged the cable modem into my new wireless router, router into the PC ... and yes. Instant wireless.

planemad

You cannot replace the original modem you need the original modem which plugs into the router.
So you will have both operating, ASDL modems are different most of them replace the stock ISP unit so you only use the one,

Hope this info helps you.

ormus

there are bascially 2 types of router.
the adsl type with a built in modem (required for BT line isp,s). ie bt and aol etc.

and the cable type. your modem plugs into the router. cable routers have no modem inside.

and both types can be had in wireless form.

mcbazza

wonka wrote: »

He asked me a question I honestly couldn't answer (I've only ever used ADSL routers) which was: is it possible to *replace* the cable modem with just one device that can take the cable input, and provide eithernet ports and wifi?

The broadband signal that comes out of the cable is *not* network traffic, and therefore cannot be understood by a router. It is an analogue signal. The modem is required to convert this analogue signal into digital network traffic, in exactly the same way that an old dial-up modem does. It does a little bit more than that, but, I'll leave it there for simplicity.

All you need to do is buy a cable router (these generally have an 'Internet' or 'WAN' CAT5/network socket on the rear that is firewalled from the other sockets), and plug a CAT5/network cable from the modem into this Internet/WAN socket.

So, I'm afraid you do need the 2 boxes.

However, the good news is that whereas a cable modem offers no internet security whatsoever, a cable router (generally) has a built-in firewall (amongst it's other features) that means you are instantly protected from the outside World.

FYI: ADSL modem/routers differ because the modem part is internal to the router.