| These days Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and IT | | | | standstill as far as anyone can predict. Keeping your |
| companies alike are able to offer a combined unit | | | | devices separate will allow a lot of flexibility in |
| containing both a modem and router. The concept | | | | upgrades and meeting up to industry standards. You'll |
| seems like a simple and cheap solution to those who | | | | also be able to maintain the highest speed levels |
| have trouble networking (i.e. attaching devices together | | | | without incurring the loss of replacing an entire unit. |
| by cords), or who simply don't want to deal with the | | | | When it comes time to switch ISPs or Internet |
| headache of it all and would rather plug something in | | | | connections all together (say, from DSL to cable) your |
| and surf away as soon as possible. On the flipside, for | | | | combined unit will again not be of much use to you. If |
| those who understand the way Internet and | | | | you own your own separate modem and router you'll |
| computers work, the idea of a combined unit poses | | | | be able to get them to communicate much more |
| trouble. | | | | easily with your new ISP and, since set-up with a new |
| The problems with putting a modem and router into | | | | service always involves surprises, troubleshooting will |
| one box can be many. Generally these types of | | | | be a breeze if the 'help-me' rep from the company |
| devices are built and sold to consumers who want a | | | | knows exactly where the problem lies. |
| 'quick fix' at the lowest price. It can be concluded, and it | | | | If you run streaming video, or use your machines |
| certainly has been proven, that going with the lowest | | | | extensively, you'll also always have to beware of |
| bidder is not always the most advantageous | | | | overheating in a combined unit. Since you have the |
| investment in the long run. To begin, when something | | | | box carrying out so much more 'work', it is more likely |
| goes down, it will be hard to find out what, or where | | | | to go down faster when temperatures rise. It some |
| the exact issue is; is it the router acting strange or is | | | | cases, it might only be the low-capacity modem within |
| the modem at fault? A technical guru might have to | | | | the combo unit that is causing the problem. If it were |
| tear the case, if not the box itself, apart to find out the | | | | separate from the router you would not only decrease |
| story. In that case, it might be more beneficial to just | | | | the chances of overheating, but you would also be |
| buy a whole new device. When running a network, | | | | able to replace the modem with a better version more |
| you can also reset one device when they are | | | | easily. Not only that, but the 'sharing' of power and |
| separated and not have the entire system go down. | | | | resources (such as RAM memory) in the box will be |
| Or, in cases where one device decides to go down on | | | | more likely to create longer wait times for pages to |
| its own, you can be sure the other component is still | | | | load as you surf. |
| keeping your connections intact. | | | | Sure, having a combined unit is easier on the unlearned, |
| Upgrades are a common part of our computer-driven | | | | and perhaps more tidy than running a bunch of wires |
| world today, so one should expect that parts here and | | | | through devices here and there, but the costs and |
| there will have to be replaced as their life cycle begins | | | | implications may not be worth it. If you have to, pay |
| to wane. It may be that router standards and wireless | | | | the extra fees to have someone set up the network |
| features within it will move a step ahead while | | | | on your behalf. |
| modems could be moving in another direction, or at a | | | | |