Now that we have a sense of what hardware you need to support, please review the definitions for the following terms:

• Laptop computer: a computer, keyboard, monitor, and trackpad combined in a single device.
• Desktop computer: a computer that sits by itself and has a keyboard, monitor, and trackpad or mouse attached to it through wires or wireless communication.

Image of the back of an internet router with ethernet jacks. Photo by Stephen Phillips on Unsplash

• Internet Modem: A computing device that connects the signals (internet) from your internet service provider (ISP) and translates those signals into ones your home computers can use. Modems and routers are sometimes combined in one unit.
• Internet Router: A computing device that connects the modem to all of your local devices, such as your computer, tablets, and phones, either through wires or through Wi-Fi.
• Monitor: the screen that displays the information from the computing device. It can be attached, as with laptops and tablets, or independent, as with desktop computers.
• Keyboard: the primary way most college students will create their college work.
• Mouse or trackpad: the primary way people navigate the computer software.

Signing up for new internet service?

When you sign up for internet service with your local provider (ISP), the technician will set up your modem and router for you. Be sure to ask that technician any questions you have about the modem and router and write down the router login information and password.

Want to know more about any of these terms? See the additional resources below, which have great short video explanations of common questions.

• ⬇️ Click this dropdown for additional resources: video introductions to computers, the internet, routers, and modems.

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Wires matter