Wi-Fi

When it comes to routers, if we go back just 10 years, they might not have been as ubiquitous. But nowadays, they are a staple in almost every household, familiar to both the elderly and children alike. This transformation is a testament to the rapid pace of technological advancement.

Last year, new significant discoveries were made at the Sanxingdui archaeological site, showcasing the advanced bronze casting techniques and rich imagination of the ancient Sanxingdui people. These discoveries sparked discussions among netizens about various oddly shaped artifacts unearthed in the past. One such artifact, a Western Zhou bronze vessel named the “Cloud Pattern Bronze Five-Pillar Vessel,” has remained a mystery in terms of its purpose. Its resemblance to a modern-day router led to playful comments like “it seems like it’s from the future” and “could connecting to the Wi-Fi of the Spring and Autumn Period enable time travel?” Following this event, some people began to genuinely explore the origins of routers. Below, Dongyong Technology will briefly take you through the history of routers.

The history of routers can be traced back to the 1980s. In 1984, with the founding of Cisco Systems, its founders designed a new network device called the “multiprotocol router.” This device connected incompatible computer networks at Stanford University, marking a milestone in networking and serving as the precursor to today’s broadband routers.

Last year’s Sanxingdui cultural relics have made new major discoveries

Over the years, routers have undergone multiple generations of evolution. When the first-generation routers appeared, the internet was just beginning to take shape. These early routers were used for simple data transmission and routing. They had low processing power, limited memory and flash storage, and only supported basic routing and filtering functions. As the internet flourished, routers continued to evolve.

The second-generation routers emerged in the 1990s, a period of rapid internet growth. These routers had improved processing power, increased memory and flash storage, and introduced security features like NAT and firewalls. They also supported more connection methods and higher interface density, providing better solutions for increasingly complex network environments.

The third-generation routers appeared at the beginning of the 21st century. With the internet’s widespread adoption and the proliferation of network applications, these routers adopted ASIC technology for hardware-accelerated routing. They supported high-speed dynamic caching and traffic classification, significantly enhancing network performance and data processing capabilities.

The fourth-generation routers began around 2010, featuring multi-core CPUs and ASIC technology, further boosting processing power and increasing memory and flash storage. They also supported IPv6 and introduced new features like high-speed dynamic caching and traffic classification.

The fifth-generation routers achieved hardware-accelerated routing and supported both IPv4 and IPv6 dual protocol stacks. Additionally, they used distributed network processor technology for parallel processing, further enhancing performance.

The sixth-generation routers, characterized by multi-level switching structures, provided both routing and switching mechanisms, optimizing network traffic processing.

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From the first-generation CPU-based routers to the modern sixth-generation routers, they have continuously evolved to meet the needs of daily life, work, and various applications. For example, industrial-grade routers were initially designed to meet the demands of industries like manufacturing, energy, and transportation, which require high stability, reliability, and security. Therefore, industrial routers differ from home routers by having stronger anti-interference capabilities, wider operating temperature ranges, better dust and waterproofing, and more stringent security measures.

Take the SR500 series industrial routers as an example:

• First, the SR500 uses industrial-grade terminal blocks, power chips, RTC, network port transformers, and NXP quad-core processors, providing strong adaptability to industrial environments.
• Second, the SR500, equipped with a built-in watchdog chip, can automatically recover from device anomalies. It uses ICMP heartbeat packets and PPP data link layer detection for automatic reconnection in case of network disconnection, ensuring continuous and stable network operation, ideal for unattended environments.
• Additionally, it offers various security strategies, including MAC address binding, SPI full-state inspection, and DDoS attack protection. It also supports multiple VPN protocols like IPsec/OpenVPN/L2TP/PPTP/DMVPN, ensuring data security.
• The SR500 features a high-performance processor, an all-netcom communication module, and gigabit network ports, with optional RS232 and RS485 serial interfaces to meet various industrial data transmission needs.
• Finally, the SR500’s industrial design includes a grounded metal casing, fanless cooling, power interface lightning protection, wide voltage range, low power consumption, 1.5kV Ethernet port isolation transformer protection, and RS232/RS485 port support for 15kV ESD static protection. It can operate stably in extreme environments from -45℃ to 80℃, ensuring reliable use anytime, anywhere.