Routing Explained

Router

A router is an electronic device that interconnects two or more and selectively interchanges packets of data  between them. Each data packet contains address information that a router can use to determine if the source and destination are on the same network, or if the data packet must be transferred from one network to another. Where multiple routers are used in a large collection of interconnected networks, the routers exchange information about target system addresses, so that each router can build up a table showing the preferred paths between any two systems on the interconnected networks.

A router is a networking device whose software and hardware are customized to the tasks of routing and forwarding  information. A router has two or more network interfaces, which may be to different physical types of network (such as copper cables, fiber, or wireless) or different network standards. Each network interface is a specialized device that converts electric signals from one form to another.

Routers connect two or more logical subnets, each having a different network address. The sub-nets in the router do not necessarily map one-to-one to the physical interfaces of the router.[1] The term "layer 3 switching" is often used interchangeably with the term "routing". The term switching is generally used to refer to data forwarding between two network devices with the same network address. This is also called layer 2 switching or LAN switching.

Conceptually, a router operates in two operational planes (or sub-systems):[2]

    * Control plane: where a router builds a table (called routing table) as how a packet should be forwarded through which interface, by using either statically configured statements (called static routes) or by exchanging information with other routers in the network through a dynamical routing protocol;
    * Forwarding plane: where the router actually forwards traffic (called packets in IP) from ingress (incoming) interfaces to an egress (outgoing) interface that is appropriate for the destination address that the packet carries with it, by following rules derived from the routing table that has been built in the control plane.

IT Glossary

Glossary

Here you will find introduction to network glossary, LAN/WAN terminology, telecommunication terminology such as Router, bandwidth, wireless communication, hubs, modems, multiplexer and topology. You will be able to find different terms such as Hubs, Router, Switch, Ethernet, Raid, coaxial cable, bridge, fiber optic, internet, infrared, email, repeater, segment, thick-net etc and many other terms.

About of Networking Layers

OSI 7 Layers Reference Model

Here you will learn OSI Model Layer Introduction, overview of the 7 OSI reference model,application, presentation, session, transport, network and physical layers. If you want to remember the sequence of the OSI layers model name then the following two sentences can help you a lot for this purpose.“All People Seems To Need Data Processing”. Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model is developed by ISO (International organization for standardization) in 1984. OSI reference model is a logical framework for standards for the network communication.

OSI reference model is now considered as a primary standard for inter networking and inter computing. Today many network communication protocols are based on the standards of OSI model. In the OSI model the network/data communication is defined into seven layers.

Networking Tutorials Overview

Networking Overview

Find computer network tutorials, wireless communication guide, LAN/WAN guide, local area network tools, wan introduction, osi layers model and many other advance topics of data communication. This is very informative site for the IT people specially in the field of computer networking. You will also find data communication overview, tech guides , data communication related information, topologies, tech study guide, Router Labs, IT certifications, Ethernet guide, free IT resources, ip addressing tools, telecommunication guide and many other informative resources. Data communication is a process of sharing data and shared resources between two or more connected computers. The shared resources can include printer, Fax modem, Hard disk, CD/DVD Rom, Database and the data files.