Jon....with a wireless router, the modem plugs into the router INSTEAD of any computer. The primary computer that will control the router settings needs either a hard wired connection or a wireless connection to the router. That computer then only needs to be turned on to make changes to those router settings (like setting access points, encryption keys, etc.

The rest of the time it can be turned off. All the networking and internet etc. signals are sent to computer via THE ROUTER not any computer. Is this any clearer?