A gateway (router) is the link between the public internet and a private network. The network can be personal or business, but they all need a device to connect to the internet while protecting the network from cyberthreats.

When a gateway or router is installed, the ISP (internet service provider) assigns an IP address to the gateway. Vendors typically assign a network device to a default IP address that is within a range of "internal" (private) addresses designated for that purpose. The default IP for EnGenius access points begins with 192.168.1.1 and could include a range of addresses for perhaps 10 employees up to 192.168.1.10. Only the last number is changed (1, 2, 3, etc.) to indicate each employee's unique machine.

IP addresses are written in what is called a "dotted-decimal" format with four numbers separated by periods. The first two numbers represent the network and the second two numbers represent the host. The network portion consists of a unique number assigned to your network along with a number indicating the "class" of network. The host portion identifies the host as well as your particular machine.