Please Mr. Postman... What is a Router?

Oh yes, wait a minute Mr. Postman, Waaaaaaiiiiiitttt Mr. Postman...

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Our first assignment in my MIST 7500: Internet Technology class was to listen to a  TechStuff Podcast : “What is a Router?”

After listening to this podcast I tried to think of a way to discuss this topic as well as tie it in with music… then it hit me. Why did I choose “Please Mr. Post Man by the Marvelettes” when there was not even the internet as we know it in 1961. Well Gladys wanted to know if the postman had any mail for her from her boyfriend that he may have brought from the post office.

The basic model of what a router is can be explained in plain language as a Post Office.

The first thing we have to understand is that the internet is a network of networks. Computers talk to each other through multiple networks. Just like people communicate by mail.

The Key Players:

Modem- Post Office

A modem collects information sent through networks and sorts it.

Router – Postman

Once the information collected and sorted by the modem it is sent to the router to deliver it to the computer that requested it.

Gladys is waiting for the Postman to deliver the information that she is expecting. She is depending on him to bring the letter from her boyfriend that was at the post office.

Packets – Mail (Gladys’ letter from her boyfriend)

Traffic on the internet is sent in little packets (mail) that are sent with the information that tells where it is going, where it is coming from and what piece it is (address label). It tells the router (postman) where to take it.

Gladys’ boyfriend sent her a packet. It was ”a card” or maybe “just a letter” with a message that she seems to already know says “he needs me”. Well that none of my business. But I am sure he put an address label to tell the Postman where to take it.

MAC Address - Home Address (Where Gladys lived)

Routers have unique addresses for each item in the network that connects to the internet. This is the way for networks to identify the devices and send the packets that go to that device.

Where does Gladys live? Well her home address should be on the address label that was included on the packet or letter that the postman was trying to deliver to her so he will know exactly where to deliver it to.

Routing Table – GPS or Mapquest (or a Map in 1961)

This is a guide that tells the network “this is the direction that you need to send packets in order for information to go from this machine and get to this machine”. It will give the fastest route which may not always be the shortest route.

So we look at it like this, the postman needs to get to Gladys’ address and there are 2 different ways to get there. He can get there straight down Main St. or he can choose to go down Maple, turn left on Oak St. then left down an alley to get to Main St. The first option may seem like the best option, but actually because of the traffic on Main St., the GPS (or map) will tell him to go the other way so he can arrive in a shorter time… Because Gladys is anxious. She’s already told him “Please Mr. Postman, deliver the letter,

the sooner the better”.

The process is more complex than this, but this is a simple way to explain how a router may work in helping us get our email just like the postman may help Gladys get her letter from her boyfriend. 

… I just hope he really wrote her a letter. She’s crying for goodness sake.