What's the difference between a wireless router and a wireless adapter and can they be used the same?

Question

ty for helping

Answer 1

An adapter can be pluggged into a computer's desktop tower, or personal laptop (do not need if laptop has wireless internet), and pick up the internet signal coming from your router, so that you can have internet without having to drag a ether net cord half way across your room, or your house to aquire internet, but your modem which picks up your internet signal form a box which comes from the wall out of a cable outlet into your modem (the thing that gives you internet) which hooks into your your wireless router, which goes into i first said and there you have it the awnser to all your questions. (please rank me best i'm out of points and have questions lol) ty if u do.

Answer 2

A wireless USB adapter enables wireless internet access to either your desktop or your notebook PC. The adapter simply plugs into the external USB port of your PC. The antenna technology built into the adapter will give you full mobility with your notebook, or enable you to place your desktop anywhere in your home without the need to use unsightly Ethernet cables.

wireless router is a Layer 3 gateway, meaning that the wired/wireless router connects networks (as gateways do), and that the router operates at the network layer of the OSI model.