There’s really not much to understanding Internet equipment. You only need a few pieces of hardware to get your Internet service up and running.

But one thing that every Internet service needs? A modem.

What does a modem do? Basically, its main job is to establish your actual Internet connection. It also acts as translator between your computer and your router. A router (usually a wireless one) is responsible for forwarding data from your modem to its virtual destination.

It’s easy to remember:

Modem = establisher.

Router = organizer.

How does a DSL modem work?

It all starts with you. You sit down with your laptop, tablet or PC and type in a website. Your computer needs to send a request so you can access that site. The DSL modem interprets what your computer is asking for, and converts those signals into a language that your router can understand.

Once that happens, the router forwards your request, and it comes back with the information your computer needs – and before you know it, your requested website is popping up on your screen.

DSL modems do all of this in just a few seconds. The faster your download speeds, the faster you can download information from sites that you visit.

And remember when we said a router is typically wireless? That’s because more and more people want to get online from anywhere in their home – and from multiple devices. Coupled with a DSL modem, a DSL router makes it easy to get online from any room and ensure you still have a strong connection.

So, what does a DSL modem actually do? It keeps your connection running, helps translate data, and helps get you online faster.