INSIDE BROADBAND MODEM ROUTER

Inside broadband modem router

The broadband router is used increasingly popular and with the launch of a highly integrated controller chips today are making the broadband router to only a few components are made at the plant - it have contributed to reducing the cost of this device. Let's see a bit of components inside the router.

Figure 1: Inside a modem  broadband router

As you can see in Figure 1, there are very few components inside the router's motherboard. This is because a large chip built-in multiple functions, combining the functions of routers, switches and firewalls. Two other small chip is the memory, RAM and ROM. In Figure 2 you can see all of what is inside a broadband router.

Figure 2: Overall the broadband router
In our router, large chip is Marvell 88E6208 controller, you can see in Figure 3. As we have mentioned, this is the chip integrates more functions (router, switch, firewall ,..). Some routers may have fewer components than if the main controller chip is embedded RAM or flash-ROM memory.

Figure 3: Chip control
Other components

RAM is used as a buffer when you have computer data transfer speeds of 100 Mbps with computers with 10 Mbps network card. So the computer is working at a rate of 100 Mbps is not required to switch to 10 Mbps speed for data transfer with lower computer, memory chip that will allow it to maintain maximum transfer rate, flow data from a 100 Mbps connection here temporarily, then the router will transmit the contents of this memory to a computer connected to a speed of 10 Mbps.

Router example using 64-Mbit memory chip (UT52L1664MC-7), meaning that it has 8MB buffer (64 Mbits / 8 = 8 MB).

Figure 4: RAM memory (buffer)
ROM memory is often a flash-ROM chip and save the program to communicate with the controller the way it works, firmware (firmware). It also saved router configuration utility, the utility is usually accessed by opening a web browser and point to the IP address of the router http://192.168.0.1 and http://192.168.1.1 address two common used. We may see the router's ROM BIOS of the router almost. Often, you can upgrade the firmware if you like through the router configuration utility.

Router on the image using 8-Mbit ROM (M29W800DB), with 1 MB (8 Mbits / 8 = 1 MB).

Figure 5: Memory ROM
You can also see the components in the router's power supplies. Maybe you will think that the external power supply to the router is responsible for distribution voltage operation of the router, but not so. External power only part done half the job. The other half is done from within, which has reduced voltage is provided by external supply voltages required by the chip and revising it - usually the voltage supplied by external power supply revised, so the revision of the floor inside the device.

Figure 6: The revision of the voltage
You can also find a large number of black components here. They are transformers, which means that they work independently of the circuit is connected to the RJ45 jack (network card) with circuit router. The transformer is also known as 1:1 transformer.

Figure 7: Transformer
Router in the example has wireless capabilities so you can see a chip is responsible for expanding the wireless connection