A Router's Ethernet Ports Explained

The video above is included in the following blog post on network-from-home.com:

https://network-from-home.com/router-...

0:00 Intro
0:24 Ethernet ports on a router
0:56 WAN ethernet port explanation
1:44 How to connect to the WAN port
3:19 LAN ethernet ports explanation
4:03 How to connect to the LAN ports
6:01 Summary

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The router I used in the above video is a TP-Link Archer A7 router: https://amzn.to/3MJ2K3E

You can find two different types of ethernet ports on a router:
-WAN port: a router’s WAN (wide area network) port is used to provide the router with a connection to the internet. In other words, this ethernet port is used to connect a modem with an active internet connection to the router. This allows the router to broadcast the internet connection it receives from a modem over a wireless network. This is what makes WiFi possible in your home.

-LAN ports: most router’s come with four LAN (local area network) ports. These ethernet ports are meant to provide devices with a wired connection to the internet. Wired internet connections are more reliable than wireless internet connections, and they also experience less latency. This means that wired internet connections are useful for applications where a strong connection and limited delay is desired (like during online gaming and video streaming over Skype or Zoom).

Standard configuration:
-The majority of routers will have one WAN port and four LAN ports. The four LAN ports are identical, and it doesn’t matter which one is used to provide a device with a wired internet connection; All devices will have the same internet experience regardless of the LAN port it’s connected to.

Conclusion:
If you have any questions about your router’s ethernet ports, please leave a comment below, or check out the blog post I linked to above for more information.