A modem is a device that connects your computer to the internet by converting digital information from your computer into analog signals that can transmit over wires (and vice versa) by modulating and demodulating electrical impulses sent through phone lines, coaxial cables, or other types of wiring. The word "modem" is a portmanteau of "modulator-demodulator" because it modulates digital signals to analog signals and demodulates analog signals back to digital signals. A modem is connected to an internet service provider (ISP) through a physical connection, and it translates the data from your ISP into a format that your home network devices can use. While a modem helps your devices connect to the internet, it is not the same as a router. A router is a box that lets all of your wired and wireless devices connect to the internet through the modem.