What is a Gateway? How You Can Use It

Gateways, routers, modems, switches, bridges, and everything else. These are the things that can make up (some) networks. And you're expected to shove these technical concepts into your brain, despite them looking like some complex, long-dead language.

In this article, you'll learn about one of these network tools: gateways. Below, you'll get a definition, an explanation for what they do, and how they differ from other network tools.

What is a Gateway?

In a network, a gateway is a piece of hardware that transitions between different servers. In most home networks, a gateway connects your computer (and other devices) to the internet.

Another way to look at it: gateways are a combination of two other pieces of hardware: modems and routers. Modems connect you to the internet while routers connect between devices.

So, a gateway saves space in your home network, replacing both tools. Despite this, people often use the terms interchangeably, which confuses things. So, keep this in mind: if a network device connects you to the internet AND between devices on your home network, it's a gateway.

How Does a Gateway Work?

A gateway works by behaving as a “node” showing a transition between different networks and devices. It provides guidance to the connections going through the gateway to determine whether they go to the other network or another device.

The term “node” is another term meaning “connection point,” meaning it's where data stops to get directed. Where it goes depends on the information it provides the gateway.

Let's look at this with a real-world example, making it simpler with an analogy.

A Real-World Gateway Connection Using Analogies

Let's say you want to go onto Facebook to send an old friend a message about a BBQ you want to host. To do this, you need to get on your computer and send an invitation to your friend. While your friend gets the message, a complex process happens in the background.

You send the first data packet out from your computer to Facebook by accessing the website. But before that data can reach Facebook, it has to go through your gateway.

The gateway receives this information via a data packet header, which contains information on where the information needs to go. It's sort of like showing the bouncer your ID when trying to enter a bar. Once the data packet provides their “identification,” they get permission to go through the gateway.

Going back to our previous example, you don't need ID to visit your friend Steve's house (unless he's weird). Your friend lives in the neighborhood, which brings us to the other half of what gateways do: connect different devices on the same network.

Your home network has less security, like how your friend Steve doesn't need an ID to know you. You're in the neighborhood (home network), and he knows you as a trusted friend (or trusted device).

Meanwhile, if weird Uncle Bill (untrusted connection) from outside the neighborhood drives through, the neighborhood watch might get suspicious. This is like your gateway stopping unwanted “suspicious connections,” meaning there's a higher barrier to enter from outside connections.

Of course, if Uncle Bill breaks into Steve's house, he might not be welcome to the next barbecue. In this way, a gateway can also block connections.

We could make a few more analogies here, but here's the point: Gateways protect the devices within and provide connections between devices, making it similar to a neighborhood of people who know each other.

How Do You Use Gateways in Your Home Network?

In short: gateways replace both routers and modems. This means that you only need one to access the internet between multiple devices.

To use gateways, it helps to know the features, which you can see below:

• Security: Like a security guard, gateways prevent unwanted and suspicious connections from entering. This depends on the settings of your firewall and the level of security in your gateway, preventing these unwanted intrusions.
• Wi-Fi: Wireless connections are a part of all major gateways, as almost every household has a smartphone or laptop. These wireless connections often support WPA and WEP security, providing an additional layer of protection preventing these intruders.
• Multiple wireless protocols: 2.4 and 5 Ghz connections support different speeds and distances. Wireless connections in gateways support both, giving your wireless connection some flexibility. Read more about the differences between 2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz wifi.
• Monitoring: Many gateways, especially those connected with specific internet service providers, provide monitoring services to better understand the amount of data used and who uses the internet. Parents who want to limit their kiddo's connection time will find monitoring a handy feature.

What do you need to know about your gateway?

Whether you have a gateway or a router and modem, both setups do the same thing. Gateways are just the more modern cousin to the dual-device setup, which is why you see them more often than traditional routers.

Above, you'll see a few brief considerations for your gateway. If you want to know more, check out our other articles on routers and modems.

Finally, have you checked to see what internet providers are at your address or in your area lately? With how fast networks are rolling out in the US, it's always good to see what's available. You might have a better package from your current provider, or even a new provider that will offer you a new customer deal!