Router Definition and how it works
Router Definition: Router is a hardware device that analyzes and forwards or moves to another network after receiving incoming network packets. If we talk about the router in the case of the Internet, then by analyzing the router packets, it detects the next network point and forwards the packet to the destination.
Router Definition also converts, drops, or performs other network related operations on packets in other network interfaces. If routers are defined in simple language, then it can be said that it is a small electronic device that connects multiple computer networks with the help of wired or wireless connections and whatever packets are received by the router. By analyzing, it works to forward / pass in other networks.
How it works
When a packet arrives at the router, the router decides which port or network to forward the packet to after checking the address and internal routing table of the destination network.
Router is a Layer 3 network device and it operates on the network layer of the OSI model. Router’s memory stores the embedded operating system (O/S) which takes up very less storage space as compared to other OS. Popular router operating systems – Cisco Inter network Operating System (IOS) and DD-WRT.
Actually Routing is the process of managing the flow of data between network segments and between hosts or routers. To manage this routing, the router manages a table in which the information of other routers of the network is stored.
