Technically you can connect just a modem directly into an equipped computer with a line and not use a Wi-Fi router to share the signal with other devices but today most satellite subscribers share the signal with multiple online devices in the home. If that’s you then yes, you need a router to take the internet signal from your modem and send it to your devices.

The modem unscrambles the internet signal that is sent by your satellite dish to your computer. The translation allows you to see websites and other online content on the screen. The satellite dish receives data signals from ground stations that communicate with satellites in space. It then sends the signal into your home via a cable that runs from the dish to the modem. Think of the modem as a device that grabs a signal from your dish and sends it to your computer. The Wi-Fi router shares that internet signal to other connected devices in your home via a private network that you will set up. Most satellite internet providers provide a combined router-modem that will handle these functions well.

You have the option to increase the Wi-Fi signal in your home beyond what the combined unit can accomplish by purchasing a separate Wi-Fi router or a mesh network of two or more routers that will reach multiple areas of your home. You can opt to use the Wi-Fi signal from your separate router rather than from the combined modem-router unit but this should be done only after a brief punch list is completed. One, try out the signal you get from the combined unit and if it reaches all your devices look no further. But if you specifically want to increase security, or to increase muscle in the signal, you can add more equipment. Before you buy an additional router check that it will be compatible with the modem-router unit provided by your ISP. The more devices you have and the larger or more complex your residential space is, the more you may be inclined to beef up the Wi-Fi signal.

Regardless of whether you use the modem-router unit for both a modem and a Wi-Fi signal router you will in most cases be leasing the equipment from your provider for a monthly fee. It might be wise to see how the unit performs in your space before investing in an additional router setup in case you get the signal strength you need in the equipment you’re already leasing as part of your service contract with the satellite provider.

To connect your router, switch it on, and make sure it’s connected to your modem via an Ethernet cable. Configure your private network by changing the name that pops up as provided by the equipment and add a unique password. Unique means this password isn’t the same as any other you use. All passwords should be unique and while this is a bit of a chore it can prevent additional damages if one of your accounts is hacked or if you get one of the dreaded “we had a data loss” notifications from a website that stored your unique username and password. These are all too common.