Routers for Not Yet Techies

Routers are network hardware devices that connect one or more networks to each other. They take a packet of data and decide the next network point it should be forwarded to. Routers are located at gateways, where networks connect to each other, including every Internet point-of-presence.

Routers are usually included as part of a network switch. They work at the Network (layer 3) of the OSI Reference Model.

They use their internal table of network addresses to decide where to forward the packet to. On the Internet, packets usually pass through many routers before reaching their final destination.

Static routers use address tables that must be manually updated by a network administrator.

Dynamic routers update their own address tables, using information from their own segments and other dynamics.

They generally mean a piece of hardware performing these functions, many are made by the Cisco Corporation, but can mean software in a computer that performs the same functions. Routers can connect networks that use different architectures and media access methods.

Routers are more difficult to operate and more expensive than repeaters. They are slower than bridges because they perform additional processing.

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