Routers

ITWorkshop recommends the use of routers rather than MODEMs to connect to ADSL. In effect a router puts your computer on its own little network separate from the internet, but with access out onto it.

Advantages

Acts as Firewall
Allows multiple computers on the same connection.
Allows systems that cannot connect via a MODEM, (eg Windows 95 or NT or a Playstation 2)
May provide addition facilities (VOIP, content filtering, wireless access).
Internet connection does not depend on software installed on one PC.

Recommendations

ITWorkshop uses and recommends the Draytek range of products.

Notes

In this article the term routers refers to ADSL NAT routers, these are actually multi-function devices. A router is just a device that connects two networks. A NAT router is what is needed to connect multiple computers to on connection and will intrinsically provide firewalling. ADSL routers that are not NAT devices are possible but extremely rare in the UK.

A firewall is an external device that controls access to a computer or network and may additionally control access from the computer or network to the outside. Software firewalls are commonly installed on PCs as a substitute for a real one. Being software they can fail or be sabotaged by malware.

Firewalls (apart from sophisticated corporate ones) do not stop viruses. They stop network connections. Many versions of windows have vulnerabilities that leave the system able to be accessed by outside users. Some virus exploit this. Firewall protect against this and hackers. Other viruses spread by email or other means (and some will turn off software firewalls) antivirus software is needed to protect Windows PCs againsts this (Apple Mac and Linux based computer are far less vulnerable to viruses and as yet none have been made that actually work successfully, as opposed to the 100,000 odd that work on Windows).