Home Internet Router

A home internet router enables multiple devices to connect to your home network over Wi-Fi or over a wired (Ethernet) connection. The home internet router is responsible for assigning IP addresses (like 192.168.1.92) to your devices, this functionality is known as DHCP. It is responsible for taking the traffic originating from and destined for all your internet connected devices and pass them to the internet through your broadband modem. This functionality is known as routing. Additionally, it serves as Wi-Fi access point letting you connect all your Wi-Fi devices to the home internet router. Home internet routers are also called standalone routers or Wi-Fi routers.

Home internet routers can be easily identified by the fact that they typically have a single WAN/internet port and multiple LAN ports. In addition, that they have one of more Wi-Fi antennas. They also have one or more USB ports for connecting USB devices.

Broadband Modem

A broadband modem enables the internet to be made available to your home. The broadband modem communicates with its counterpart at your Internet Service Provider (ISP). The broadband modem converts the signals from the ISP to Ethernet which can then be fed directly into your home internet router.

Broadband modems can be easily identified by the fact that they have a single port for connecting to your ISP feed (Cable, FiOS, DSL or satellite) and one WAN/Ethernet port for connecting to the home internet router.

RATtrap should be connected to the WAN/Ethernet port of your broadband modem, in the preferred configuration.

Preferred Configuration

In the preferred configuration one end of RATtrap is connected to the broadband modem and the other end is connected to the standalone router.

Integrated Router Modem

An integrated router modem provides the combined functionality of a broadband modem and a standalone router. It connects directly to the internet feed from your ISP and provides the capability to connect your wired and wireless devices directly to the integrated router modem, removing the need for a standalone router. Integrated router modems have all of the capabilities that are typically provided by a standalone router including DHCP, Routing, Wi-Fi Access Point as well as functionality provided by the broadband modem. Most integrated router modems, provided by ISPs, allow the user to disable some of its functionality and use another standalone router along with the integrated router modem.

Integrated router modems can be easily identified by a port that connects to the ISP feed, a set of Ethernet ports (typically 4 LAN ports) and antennas of Wi-Fi connections. Notably missing from the integrated router modem is the WAN Ethernet port.

RATtrap can work with any integrated router modem when it is connected to one of the LAN ports. The other end of RATtrap can then be connected to a standalone router, a network switch or another device e.g. a PC. In this configuration, only the devices that are connected to the integrated router modem through RATtrap will enjoy the protection provided by RATtrap.

Network Switch

A network switch is very similar to your home internet router in that it enables multiple devices to connect to your home network over a wired (Ethernet) connection. They key differences between your network switch and your router is that your network switch does not assign IP addresses i.e. does not perform DHCP. Neither does it have the support for connecting Wi-Fi devices.

Network switches can be easily identified by the fact that they have multiple LAN ports (typically 5 or 8). Notably missing from a network switch is any Wi-Fi antenna and any WAN port.

Double NAT Mode

Network Address Translation (NAT) is a technology used by routers that allows all your internet connected devices to access the internet using a single IP address assigned by your ISP. This is typically a public IP address and can be used to exchange traffic with web servers on the internet. When you have multiple routers in your home network, for example, one integrated router modem and another standalone router, both these routers apply NAT functionality to your traffic.

RATtrap automatically detects this scenario when connected to 2 such routers and protects all traffic traversing the router whose WAN port it is connected to

Alternative Configurations

RATtrap can be setup in multiple configurations with integrated modem routers. These configurations involve another standalone router, switch or another device.