Routers connect multiple networks and stuff together. The router at your house connects your devices to a bigger network.

1. Are these "routers" the same
2. Would my router carry packets intended for someone else, you know maybe just shuttling them across or something?
3. If so can I spy on them with my router potentially ?

You can only see how the devices in your home network communicate with the internet

@electrineer yeah that makes sense, I'm very confused atm. Studying a subject I don't like.

I used to be very confused about networks but I took a uni course and now I like it. Well, I don't like the parts I still don't know.

@electrineer I used to be very fascinated by networks. My uni took a course for me. Now I hate it, except for parts that I don't know.

Not a network expert (or even remotely close), but I always liked networking

I envy people working on networking projects, because the domain itself is technical already!

The bigger network is connected trough bgp and your isp use asn to connect your router to this network.
You can see asn number and asn configuration using whois and google.
1. On whois look for something like AS1
2. Then lookup this number on google ex. on bgp.he.net or stat.ripe.net

You can also see who connect to whom. And some routing configuration.
Have fun.

@vane was just reading up on bgp,rip and stuff. Looks interesting thanks for the details !

@TheAnimatrix yeah it’s funny and interesting to see how it works because it’s all available online.
Based on bgp connections and traffic you can pick better places for your servers.
There are also internet exchange points ( IXP ) in every country ( or state probably - I am from EU) to move traffic between operators.
Some of internet might be cached on your isp CDN if you use their DNS.

Edit: ex. netflix installs it’s cdn machine rack connected directly to ixp to deliver movies faster

Biggest IXP operator I know is equinix. Their customers are probably all cloud providers on this planet.
Another part are under ocean optical fiber providers around globe. That’s also interesting.
In snowden movie they mention some facility in hawaii where they monitor some traffic :)