Start here · Essential guide
Router Parts Explained: How to Identify Your Router's Components
A plain-English tour of a home router's ports, buttons, lights, antennas and internal parts, plus how to find your router's make and model.
Computer & Router Basics
7 guides, starting with Router Parts Explained: How to Identify Your Router’s Components.
Start here · Essential guide
A plain-English tour of a home router's ports, buttons, lights, antennas and internal parts, plus how to find your router's make and model.
Yes, you can plug in several Ethernet cables at once. Here is how LAN ports work, whether it slows things down, and how to add ports with a switch.
Learn what a router's LAN ports do, how to tell them from the WAN port, what speeds to expect, and how to add more Ethernet ports with a switch.
If your Netgear router or computer says the Ethernet cable isn't plugged in or detected, work through these cable, port, power cycle and driver checks.
Ethernet cable runs have a distance limit. Learn how far a cable can go, whether length slows you down, and the alternatives when your router is too far.
The WAN (Internet) port connects your router to your modem or ISP gateway. Learn how to find it, what to plug in, and what to check if it isn't working.
A router's USB port can share a drive, stream media or share a printer on your network. See common uses, setup basics, limits and how to check your model.
Related topics