Router

A router is a device used in computer networking. Its work is to forward data packets toward a destination. The process is known as routing. Routing occurs in the network layer.
It acts like a junction for two networks. It can be more than two networks. It works to buffer and transfer through the networks. The things it transfers is data packets. Switch and hub are different from a router. It works in the layer 3 in OSI model, which is a switch in the layer 2 and a hub of the layer 1. it is designed to work in different situations. A switch is there to connect devices. The connected devices form a LAN or Local Area Network. This network also can be connected to another network using a router.

To get a clear view of the functions of routers with switches, you can imagine streets in the neighborhood. The streets are the switches. The intersections of the streets with street signs are the routers. The houses in the neighborhood have different and specific address. The houses are divided into blocks. The same thing is with the switches and routers. A switch makes the connection to different devices. These devices have their own addresses known as IP address. These IP address are found in a LAN. The switch has no idea about other addresses except for its own address for management. Routers do the work of connecting the networks like the major intersections of streets do in freeways and highways. The street signs in the intersection, we were talking about refer to the way the data packets should go.

So it can be said for example that a router connects to the Internet using Internet service provider's network. It uses an Internet address. It also uses private IP addresses and a broadcast domain. Here the switch works to connect the devices together. The switch is sometimes combined with the router to be sold in one package called a multiple port router.

The router does the work of sending data packets. This can be called routing. It communicates in order to route data packets with other routers. To do so it uses routing protocols. The information used are kept and maintained in a routing table. The best routes are stored. The best routes to connect to certain networks are- "routing metrics".

A router used by the client to connect to internet is named Edge router. A router working to transmit data to other routers inside a network is called a core router.

A router usually used for connecting to minimum of two networks. But another category of routers is one-arm router. It works to spread data packets through a virtual LAN network. Multiple attachments can be sent to different networks that are all over alike physical link.

Residential networks are special devices for home users. These are also called routers. These devices are good for use in the small networks. It has features like web configuration, wireless access points etc. but it also lacks big features for high end use.

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