<human>:  What is the difference between a modem and a router?
<bot>: The difference between a modem and a router is that a modem connects to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) such as cable or DSL to provide Internet access, while a router acts as a gateway between the modem and the devices in your home, like computers and smartphones, allowing them to connect to the network and the Internet. A modem typically encodes and decodes data into the appropriate electronic signal, while a router is more like the traffic controller that sends and receives packets of data between devices.