Is a router a computer?

August 2, 2007 6:58 PM

EarthLink Wi-Fi: Does plugging in a (wireless/wired) router constitute use of the wireless service with "more than one computer"? Can EarthLink detect use of a router with their service?

I have a room of computers and a networked printer. Obviously I'd prefer to have the router be the only computer connecting to the Wi-Fi modem, and then I connect my computers to the router. Is this something EarthLink can detect (and then charge for)?

posted by anonymous to computers & internet (11 comments total)

If the router is performing network address translation (NAT), then no they could not detect it. All outgoing traffic would have the same source IP address. However, they could infer that one computer and one user could not generate that much traffic. I have no idea if they have a habit of inferring such things.
posted by about_time at 7:10 PM on August 2, 2007

I work for a company who resells and provides some Earthlink support.

No. They can't tell. The worst they could see would be that you have a router plugged in, but that doesn't necessarily implicate you as someone who has multiple computers, as many people use routers as a hardware firewall.

The most likely thing that they might investigate is if you have massive bandwidth consumption. This is typically watched because it means that the subscriber has a server set up, or is transferring large files (which usually means torrents, which are typically copyright infringements, which is usually against the AUP). But most places will just send you a warning to knock it off.
posted by quin at 7:21 PM on August 2, 2007

The question you linked to refers to their WiFi hotspot service, something you'd use when you're away from home. It sounds like you're just talking about broadband service into the home, where it's unlikely they'd care.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 7:36 PM on August 2, 2007

I'm not a technical person. But I *am* a person who had Earthlink for years and ran multimple computers through a router on it. I even was cheeky enough to call them for technical support on getting my multiple computers to work on it.

So for the record, they either can't detect it or don't care. And they won't help you get your multiple computers working on it. (I did figure it out on my own. Heh). I think they have that note in there to limit how much technical support they give. They offer a router rental to do multiple computers and presumably they'll troubleshoot that, but if you ain't rentin...they ain't helpin'.

(speakeasy on the other hand was very helpful.)
(they're also more expensive)
posted by Wink Ricketts at 9:24 PM on August 2, 2007

I work for Comcast. We don't offer wifi, so I can't really answer your question about *your* ISP.

But as a very general answer, I know we are usually able to tell when our customers have routers. One of our diagnostic tools gives us a list of IPs and MAC addresses of everything connected from the modem to the computer.

With a direct connection between modem and pc, there's only ever 2 MAC addresses listed. If 3 or more addresses show up, we know they have a router.

And they won't help you get your multiple computers working on it. ... They offer a router rental to do multiple computers and presumably they'll troubleshoot that, but if you ain't rentin...they ain't helpin'.

That's pretty much how we are. We don't care if you add a router, but we aren't going to fix any issues you have to connecting to it if the connection is getting to the modem without problems.
posted by Zarya at 11:30 PM on August 2, 2007

If the router is performing network address translation (NAT), then no they could not detect it.

Unless you're using a BSD box as a router, this is false.
posted by oaf at 5:25 AM on August 3, 2007

There's also the fact that 90% of home routers leak internal IP addresses or misbehave in other, characteristic ways.
posted by oaf at 5:27 AM on August 3, 2007

With a direct connection between modem and pc, there's only ever 2 MAC addresses listed. If 3 or more addresses show up, we know they have a router.

There was a time where I had RCN cable internet service, and was concerned about this very thing. But it's pretty easy to change the MAC address of most routers and set it to match that of your network card.

Although, from what Zarya said, that probably solved exactly nothing. (In your face, nothing!)
posted by averyoldworld at 5:32 AM on August 3, 2007

Is it a router, or is it instead an address translator? They're not the same.

If it's an address translator, then it will be hard to tell. A smart net admin (or a program one writes) can tell about how many computers are active behind a NAT box, using statistical information.

Most ISPs aren't that smart or they don't care that much. I think you'd be safe as long as you don't stand out from everyone else in usage.
posted by cmiller at 6:05 AM on August 3, 2007

While Earthlink cannot detect it, and most certainly will not care, a router is a very specialized computer, on a technical level. But as others have said, don't let this stop you.
posted by Xoder at 6:09 AM on August 3, 2007

I have earthlink and a wireless router for about 5 years with never any problems from the ISP. We often have 3-4 computers on and with two teenagers in the house there is a lot of traffic.
posted by bluesky43 at 6:23 AM on August 3, 2007