Another networking video

In my latest installment, on my Easy Home Networking playlist on YouTube, I cover the Internet router. Yes, another router video. You can find it here.

If you’re wondering what’s different about this video, it’s that I actually talk about what a router does… and that’s instead of telling you that your router is merde (or not - what do I know?).

The early days for me were using the internet on a DEC VT - usually going back to something like an IBM RT or a Sun Sparc. The VTs were just sessions on the host, and the host had an external IP. Ethernet in the dorms? All of the PCs were issued external IPs. What a time to be alive.

Today, you’re still likely to get an external IP - though it may be IPv6, instead of IPv4, but you’re typically only going to get one (per paid Internet connection) for a residence. The magic of the small, inexpensive, home router allows you to maintain a LAN, and use that single IP as a gateway to the Internet.

As far as routers go, those are the table stakes. However, even your $20 router off of Amazon is going to have more features than just basic routing. And what makes that $20 disposable router different than a $600 disposable router? Usually, the difference is mostly in the physical interface differences, the built-in wireless access point, and the processing capability.

Don’t go into battle unarmed… find out more here.