What are the differences between an Ethernet hub or switch and a broadband router?
A. For an introduction to Ethernet hubs and switches and their differences, see “What is the difference between an Ethernet hub and switch?” at http://duxcw.com/faq/network/hubsw.htm. Most broadband routers (“routers” for short) are a combination Ethernet switch (or hub) and Network Address Translator (NAT; see below). They usually include a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, Domain Name Service (DNS) proxy server (see below), and a hardware firewall to protect the Local Area Network (LAN) from malicious intrusion from the Internet. All routers have a Wide Area Network (WAN) Port. This port connects to the to a DSL or cable MODEM for broadband service (e.g., the Internet) and is usually a 10 MHz 10BASET Ethernet port. A 10 MHz WAN port is sufficient for cable and DSL MODEMs as these devices transfer data at rate that is a fraction of 10 MHz. I have seen no broadband routers with a USB WAN port to connect to a USB cable or DSL MODEM. Many recent broadband routers are com
