Router

You can join the Soihtu broadband network either directly from the computer with a cable or with a so-called Ethernet router that is suited for the purpose. A router is a device that can connect more than one device to the network.

The router must be registered to the Soihtu broadband network. If the registration page does not open, you will have to change your router’s settings so that your router acts as a router.

Getting a new ethernet router

Technically, your device should be an “Ethernet router”. The device should have an “Ethernet WAN” port (specified in the user manual of the device). (WAN means traffic directed outwards from the router, whereas LAN refers to ports on the user’s side of the device.)

If you want to connect devices with the router wirelessly, wlan / Wi-Fi needs to be listed as one of the router’s features.

The Soihtu broadband network allows Gigabit speed almost without exception, so the speed of the WAN port in your router should measure up. Check the device, its package or the manual for the information on the speed categories the router can support. For example 10/100/1000, in which the 1000 means “one thousand megabits per second” or “one Gigabyte per second” (1 Gbit/s).

Note that the listed wi-fi speed of your device and the speed that you can actually access the Internet with are different things. The Wi-Fi-speed of your device may be eg. 300 or 600 Mbit/s, allowing your own devices to operate towards the router (and your other wireless devices via it) with this speed, but the WAN port speed 100 Mbit/s limits your external traffic – for example, the Internet connection – to this level.

In the sales language, “wi-fi router” and “wireless router” often describe an ethernet device that also supports wireless connection. If the device is not described in this fashion, but only as a “wireless access point” or “wireless range extender”, it’s not necessarily a routing device, and routing is a necessity in the Student Village network.

If the device is adsl or just any xDSL, or a cable modem, it’s forbidden to install this type of device into the Village network. See the chapter for multi role devices later on.

If the device is mentioned to have 3G or 4G, you can operate in the telephone / mobile network with a cell phone plan you have bought for yourself (a sim-card is needed). This, of course, is totally OK in Soihtu apartments. However, remember that in this case you’re not using the Soihtu broadband network cable connection (included in your rent), unless the device also allows the use of ethernet-connection (and only uses the mobile data as a spare / alternative connection).

There are devices that can work in 4-5 of the roles mentioned above. Buying one of these devices gives you the access to Internet in several different kinds of situations and locations. Remember, that after every change in location, you have to define the role of the device again. Here at Soihtu broadband network you have to configure this device to act as an Ethernet router.