You can give a replacement router the same WiFi name and password as the old one, and many saved devices can reconnect without manual setup. Match the security type as closely as the devices require, shut down the old broadcast, and expect a few smart devices to need help.

Most standalone WiFi routers need one Ethernet cable from a modem, ONT or provider wall jack, but phones and laptops connect wirelessly. Combined gateways, cellular routers and secondary mesh nodes are the main exceptions.

Floor placement is not automatically broken, but furniture, metal, pets, cleaning, and a low signal path can make it a poor permanent location. Compare it with a stable open shelf.

A router and modem can normally share a sound, correctly rated indoor power strip. Use each device’s approved adapter, check the strip’s certification and load, keep cords uncovered, and never connect one strip to another.

Doors can add another obstacle to a weak WiFi path, especially when they contain metal or sit between a distant device and the router. Test the actual room before buying equipment.

Ethernet carries network data, but a local file copy and an internet download take different paths. Your provider can count traffic that crosses its service, regardless of whether the device reaches the router by Ethernet or WiFi.