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Basic Facts About the Cisco Router Brand Family

Cisco has moved on from consumer-level routers

By Bradley Mitchell Bradley Mitchell Writer Massachusetts Institute of Technology University of Illinois An MIT graduate who brings years of technical experience to articles on SEO, computers, and wireless networking. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on March 16, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Home Networking The Wireless Connection Routers & Firewalls Network Hubs ISP Broadband Ethernet Installing & Upgrading Wi-Fi & Wireless Cisco Systems produces a wide range of computer network equipment including network routers for homes and businesses. Cisco routers remain popular and have gained a reputation over many years for quality and high performance. Westend61 / Getty Images

Cisco Routers for Home

From 2003 to 2013, Cisco Systems owned the Linksys business and brand name. Linksys wired and wireless router models became an extremely popular choice for home networking during this period. In 2010, Cisco also produced its Valet line of home network routers. Since Cisco discontinued Valet and Linksys sold to Belkin, Cisco does not directly market any of its newer routers to homeowners. Some of their older products remain available through secondhand auction or resale outlets.

Cisco Routers and the Internet

Service providers predominantly used Cisco's routers to build out the long-distance connections of the early Internet during the 1980s and 1990s. Many corporations have also adopted Cisco routers to support their intranet networks.

Cisco CRS — Carrier Routing System

Core routers like the CRS family function as the heart of a large enterprise network into which other routers and switches can be connected. First introduced in 2004, the CRS-1 offered 40 Gbps connections with aggregate network bandwidth scalable up to 92 terabits per second. The newer CRS-X supports 400 Gbps connections.

Cisco ASR — Aggregation Service Routers

Edge routers like the Cisco ASR series of products directly interface an enterprise network to the Internet or other wide area networks (WANs). ASR 9000 Series routers are for communication carriers and service providers, while businesses can also use the more affordable ASR 1000 Series.

Cisco ISR — Integrated Services Routers

Cisco offers several tiers of ISRs for various sizes of businesses. The model lines are: 800: smaller routers with wireless, voice, and security capabilities900: entry-level devices for small businesses1000: routing and wireless for small and medium businesses1800: up to eight 10/100 Mbps ports1900: supports up to four routers using 25 Mbps of bandwidth4000: high-bandwidth — up to 7 Gbps

Other Types of Cisco Routers

Cisco has developed and marketed a wide range of other router products over the years, including: Cisco 1000 and 2000 Series Connected Grid: indoor/outdoor routers, primarily for use with energy substations and power grid utility networks.Cisco 500, 800, and 900 Series Industrial: support the integration of wireless sensors and Internet of Things (IoT) devices in outdoor and construction environments.Cisco Mobile Wireless Routers: support cellular backhaul network environments.

About Cisco IOS

IOS (Internetwork Operating System) is the low-level network software that runs on Cisco routers (and some other Cisco devices). IOS supports a command-line user interface shell and underlying logic for controlling the router's hardware (including memory and power management, plus control over the Ethernet and other physical connection types). It also enables the many standard network routing protocols Cisco routers support like BGP and EIGRP. Cisco offers two variations called IOS XE and IOS XR that each run on certain classes of Cisco routers and offer additional capabilities beyond the core functions of IOS. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Cisco Default Password List (Updated October 2022) One Home Network Sharing Two Internet Connections Can Two Routers Be Used on the Same Home Network? How to Change DNS Servers on Most Popular Routers Can I Share Dial Up Internet Service Over a Wireless Network? How to Connect Two Routers on a Home Network Linksys E900 (N300) Default Password How to Change Your Wi-Fi Password How to Set Up a Router 5 Things to Consider Before Buying a Wireless Router How to Connect to Your Home Router as an Administrator How to Hack-Proof Your Wireless Router What Is a Switch? Computer Networking Essential Settings for Home Network Routers What Is a Router and How Does It Work? Linksys EA9500 Router Review: Powerful Router with Intelligent Technology Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies