What does a router do?
To understand what a router does, you need to know a little bit about how the Internet works. The Internet, the huge world-wide computer network that we surf the World Wide Web on, uses the TCP/IP networking protocol. Data sent over a TCP/IP network is broken down into chunks called “packets”, and in order for these packets to get where they need to go on the Internet, something is needed to route them to their destinations (hence the name router). The many networks that make up the Internet are connected to each other by routers, and the routers determine what packets go where. Routers are level 3 devices on the OSI model, which means that they function at the network layer. The OSI model has 7 levels, and each one represents a function when it comes to data communication between two or more computers on a computer network. To understand what I’m talking about in the next paragraph, you need to know about the OSI model and what layer the router represents.
The router stands between the outside world (the Internet) and your home network, which makes it one of the networks most important pieces. A router routes network traffic to your computers. In home networks, the router generally directs traffic between individual PCs and also handles data flowing to and from the Internet. ISPs generally assign only one IP address to a home or office, which means that only one of your computers can connect to the Internet. The router assumes your main IP address and then generates extra IP addresses for your other computers. As a result, outside users can only see the routers IP address, not the computers that make up your network. Most ISPs permit routers and even encourage users to use the devices, but you may want to ask your ISP before investing in the hardware.
Related Questions
- When I have a static route and RIP configured on a router, why is it that the static route with an administrative distance of 1 is preferred over RIP routes with an administrative distance of 120?
- When an active router tracks serial 0 and the serial line goes down, how does the standby router know to become active?
- Is it possible to run HSRP and OSPF together on the backbone router?
