Routers 1 Routers 2 Introduction The purpose of this paper is give a summary of the function and use of Routers in todays information age. To cover the complete subject of routers and routing, would be beyond the scope of this research paper. However the basic definition of a router is A device used to connect networks of different types, such as those using different architectures and protocols. Routers work at the Network layer of the OSI model.
This means they can switch and route packets across multiple networks. They do this by exchanging protocol-specific information between separate networks. Routers determine the best path for sending data and filter broadcast traffic to the local segment. ( Microsoft Press, 1998) Discussion In order for information to pass fro one information system to another information system outside its local area it must be routed. In the below table is an illustration of a the route a data packet takes between my computer and the Web Server for Macon State College.
Tracing route to www.maconstate.edu 168.16.176.4 over a maximum of 30 hops: Routers 3 TABLE 1 1
