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[The Signal](https://www.t-mobile.com/home-internet/the-signal) 2. Category:[Internet Help](https://www.t-mobile.com/home-internet/the-signal/category/internet-help) [Internet HelpCategory](https://www.t-mobile.com/home-internet/the-signal/category/internet-help) # How to Tell the Difference Between Your Modem vs. Router Published: June 28, 2023 |6 min read When traditional Wi-Fi is slow or even nonexistent, one of the first steps experts recommend is unplugging your modem or router, waiting a minute, then plugging back in. And that's a great start! But for those who are less tech savvy, those instructions miss a step: How do you identify a modem vs. router in the first place?  #### Jump to a Section 1. [What is a modem?](https://www.t-mobile.com#1) 2. [What is a router?](https://www.t-mobile.com#2) 3. [Modem vs. Router: How to spot your modem](https://www.t-mobile.com#3) 4. [Modem vs. Router: How to spot your router](https://www.t-mobile.com#4) 5. [Combination modem and router](https://www.t-mobile.com#5) - Comparte "Cómo diferenciar entre un módem y un Router" on X - Share "How to Tell the Difference Between Your Modem vs. Router" on Facebook - Share "How to Tell the Difference Between Your Modem vs. Router" on LinkedIn Before we begin, it's worth mentioning that one way to solve this modem-vs-router dilemma is by eliminating the need for this type of dual setup all together. [T-Mobile Home Internet](https://www.t-mobile.com/home-internet) utilizes a wireless [5G Gateway](https://www.t-mobile.com/home-internet/gateway) that works in tandem with Wi-Fi 6, the next generation of Wi-Fi technology, and is compatible with T-Mobile's nationwide 5G network. Once you [sign up](https://www.t-mobile.com/home-internet/plans), the 5G Gateway is delivered to your home. Sin instalaciones complicadas. Sin necesidad de una cita. Just a plug. If, for now, you're stuck looking at those two little black boxes and wondering which is which, read on to understand the differences between modems and routers, as well as some quick and easy tips for telling the two apart at a glance. ## __What is a modem?__ Your modem is basically the source of your internet. It connects the internet from your internet service provider (ISP) to your home network1. Los tipos de módem varían según uses un proveedor de cable, fibra, satélite, DSL, etc. Sin embargo, para la mayoría de los tipos de servicio de Internet, es posible alquilar el módem a tu proveedor por un cargo mensual. También puedes comprar tu propio módem. El módem no controla tu red wifi. Lo que hace es convertir la señal de tu ISP a una que pueden usar las computadoras y otros dispositivos. And though it is possible to have a combination modem and router, standalone modems are usually connected to routers via cables. ## __What is a router?__ Your router is the tool that [connects](https://www.t-mobile.com/home-internet/the-signal/internet-devices/how-to-connect-router-to-a-modem) to your modem and creates a local area network (LAN) for your entire home, including computers, mobile devices, and connected appliances, like lightbulbs and security systems1. Muchos ISP también ofrecen enrutadores para alquilar junto con los módem. La fuerza de la señal de un enrutador se ve afectado por factores como la distancia y barreras físicas. Así que, en una casa grande, por ejemplo, podría ser difícil conectarse a wifi en ciertas áreas debido a las paredes y también a la distancia entre los dispositivos y el enrutador. Debido a que los módems, especialmente los módems de cable, tienen que estar conectados a un punto fijo de la pared y los enrutadores deben estar conectador al módem, a veces puede resultar difícil situar el enrutador en una ubicación central para que todas las zonas de la casa reciban la misma cobertura. In these cases, it is possible to purchase [Wi-Fi extenders](https://www.t-mobile.com/home-internet/the-signal/speed/whole-home-wi-fi-repeaters-extenders-or-mesh), which pick up a Wi-Fi signal from the router and rebroadcast it to a wider area. (El Gateway para Internet residencial de T-Mobile es diferente de un enrutador en este aspecto ya que la mejor ubicación en tu hogar será siempre cerca de una ventana, orientada hacia la torre más cercana. This makes it easy to set up, as [our free app](https://www.t-mobile.com/home-internet/app) helps you find the perfect spot.) Now that you know the difference between modem and router, here's a quick guide to identifying each by sight. ## __Modem vs. Router: How to spot your modem__ Since both cable and DSL modems each connect directly to the wall, the easiest way to identify these types of modems is to check the connection. Un módem de cable se conectará a través de un cable coaxial. Un cable coaxial termina en una cubierta redonda con un solo conector central que se atornilla a una salida en la pared. Además de examinar la conexión de tu módem a la pared, también puedes identificar un módem solo de cable por la cantidad de puertos. Un módem de cable por lo general tiene solo un conector F con rosca (que es donde conectarás el conector de cable redondo), un solo puerto Ethernet y uno conector de alimentación. Un módem DSL se conecta a través de un cable telefónico o Ethernet. Both usually end in a plastic covering [that clips](https://www.t-mobile.com) into the jack located on your wall. Un módem DSL tendrá un puerto para enchufar el cable de teléfono, un puerto Ethernet y un conector de alimentación. Fiber modems are also usually connected with an ethernet cable, but a fiber terminal is usually larger and blockier than the flat panel that connects both cable and DSL modems2. ## __Modem vs. Router: How to spot your router__ If you have a separate modem and router, and you've traced the coax or DSL cable to your modem, the next device in the chain is your router. Como el enrutador está diseñado para conectar múltiples dispositivos a tu red, tendrá más puertos que el módem. Un enrutador wifi típico suele tener un puerto Ethernet para red de área amplia (WAN), que se conecta al módem, y cuatro puertos Ethernet adicionales (o más) para conectar a computadoras y dispositivos con conexiones cableadas. Si planeas conectar un dispositivo, tal como una consola de juegos, una laptop o PC directamente a tu red, estos son los puertos que permitirán dichas conexiones. Another way to determine modem vs. router is to look for visible antennas, which are sometimes a feature of standalone routers2. ## __Combination modem and router__ A combination modem and router is sometimes called a gateway. Estos dispositivos hacen ambas cosas: se conectan a tu ISP y conectan tus dispositivos a una red. If you only have one device, then you likely have a combination modem and router, since standalone routers can't connect directly to the internet3. Una combinación de módem y enrutador tradicional generalmente tiene todas las características antes mencionadas, incluido el puerto telefónico o conector F a rosca, según tengas una conexión de cable o DSL, y varios puertos Ethernet para conectar computadoras y dispositivos mediante cables. It will also sometimes include additional ports to connect television and wired telephone service3. Now that you can distinguish your modem from your router, it should be much easier to check your connection or even restart for security updates and adding new services, such as [guest networks](https://www.t-mobile.com/home-internet/the-signal/speed/setting-up-guest-wi-fi-network). ¿Quieres eliminar la conexión en cadena de siempre y cambiarte a una red inalámbrica? T-Mobile is America's fastest growing [Home Internet](https://www.t-mobile.com/support/home-internet/15-day-test-drive) provider. [Find out if it's available](https://www.t-mobile.com/home-internet/eligibility) in your area and then [try it out](https://www.t-mobile.com/support/home-internet/15-day-test-drive) for 15 days to see if it works for you. Learn how you can [bundle Home Internet with a phone plan](https://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans/phone-home-internet-bundle) and save even more. Sources: 1. [https://www.gartner.com/en/glossary](https://www.gartner.com/en/glossary) 2. [https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/modem-vs-router/](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/modem-vs-router/) 3. 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