D-Link Routers, Hubs & Switches, $100 - $250

You can't simply connect all the computers in the world to the Internet; the electronics would be overwhelmed by the amount of data and there'd be no security. Networks break up the Internet into usable, private segments. Routers, hubs and switches are some of the computer hardware that makes networks possible, and Overstock.com is the computer store that makes them affordable with up to 70 percent off retail pricing.

Routers are like traffic cops, directing messages and data from computer system to computer system. A router is an electronic device that reads packets of data traveling the network. Each packet has identifying marks which tell the router to keep the data in-house or send it somewhere else. Along the way, other routers can switch the packet along various network routes to keep traffic flowing. A wireless router does this by receiving and broadcasting short-range radio messages, making wireless Internet possible.

Hubs are connectors, like a bicycle wheel connecting to the spokes. When you need to connect more computer accessories to your computer, a hub can provide the connection points, as in USB hubs. If you have more computer equipment to connect, plug an extra USB hub into an existing port and you can add several new connection points. When you want to connect computers to your networks, a network hub is where you connect your computer cables.

Switches work much like hubs, except that they can receive and transmit at different speeds--10Mb/sec to 10Gb/second. When a switch receives a packet of data, it can tell which computer was the source and which computer is the destination. Fortunately, when online shopping for low-priced computer equipment, you already know your destination, Overstock.com.