A femtocell is typically the size of a residential gateway or smaller, and connects to the user's broadband line.

The term may refer either to a standalone external residential gateway or to a system of multiple components that together provide RG functions.

It is intended for installation on embedded devices with limited resources, such as, for example, residential gateways running OpenWrt.

In recent years, however, the less expensive "residential gateways" have gained many of the capabilities of corporate gateways and the distinctions are fewer.

Therefore the term "residential gateway" sometimes implies a less expensive, lower capability networking device.

Multiple devices have been described as "residential gateways":

Beyond basic connectivity and routing, residential gateways can provide addition features, such as:

The following year, in January 2001, 2Wire delivered a wireless residential gateway.

A general term for such a combined device is a residential gateway.

A residential gateway (sometimes called a broadband router) connected between the broadband modem and the rest of the network.