Router or Broadband Splitter 的分別 ?

Actually, Broadband Splitter is a network hub which allow more than one computer to connect to the same network which is your ISP. This is used in Ethernet topology network. By using splitter, your isp need assign you different PUBLIC IP address to different computer on the splitter.

For example;

Comp A on port STPA will be assigned 123.123.123.1
Comp B on port STPB will be assigned 123.123.123.2
etc...

Router is used to connect two or more different network. Router can connect two different topology network such as Ethernet and Token Ring together, or two same topology network but in two different segment, such as Ethernet and Ethernet together.

Using Router, your home computer can be hidden after the router, there a WAN port on Router to connect to your ISP broadband modem such as Cable Modem or ADSL modem, only 1 public ip address will be assigned to your router only. All your computers connects to the other LAN ports on router as a private LAN. The ip address of your LAN can be one of the following NON ROUTABLE IP class.

Class A 10.0.0.0 - 10.255.255.255
Class B 172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255
Class C 192.168.0.0 - 192.168.255.255

Usually, most of the manufacturer of router uses 192.168.0.0 or 192.168.1.0 as their default LAN ip.

If your computer on router's LAN port need access to internet, the request will be routed from LAN segment to WAN port then going to your ISP.