Understand How Router Works

. A router is a networking device that forwards data packets between computer networks. It creates an overlay
internetwork that connects multiple networks together.

Routers are used in a variety of settings, including homes, businesses, and schools. They are essential for
connecting devices to the internet and to each other.

How routers work

Routers work by reading the IP address information in each data packet. The IP address is a unique identifier
that is assigned to each device on a network.

The router uses the IP address to determine the best path for the packet to take to reach its destination. The
router may also use other factors, such as the type of traffic and the current network conditions, to make its
decision.

Once the router has determined the best path for the packet, it forwards the packet to the next device on the
network. This process continues until the packet reaches its destination.

Benefits of using routers

Routers offer a number of benefits, including:

• Connectivity: Routers allow devices on different networks to communicate with each other.
• Security: Routers can help to protect networks from unauthorized access.
• Performance: Routers can improve the performance of networks by reducing traffic congestion.

Types of routers

There are a variety of different types of routers available, including:

• Wired routers: Wired routers connect devices to the network using Ethernet . cables.
• Wireless routers: Wireless routers connect devices to the network using radio waves.
• Broadband routers: Broadband routers are designed to provide internet access to multiple devices.
• Core routers: Core routers are used in large networks, such as the internet, to connect multiple
networks together.

Routing Fundamentals

Routing is the process of selecting a path for data packets to follow through a network from source to
destination. Routers are devices that perform routing.

Routing is essential for connecting multiple networks together, such as the Internet, and for allowing devices
on different networks to communicate with each other.
How routers work

Routers use routing tables to determine the best path for data packets to follow. Routing tables contain
information about the networks that the router is connected to and the paths to those networks.

When a router receives a data packet, it looks at the destination IP address in the packet and uses its routing
table to determine the best path for the packet to follow. The router then forwards the packet to the next
device on the path.

Types of routing

There are two main types of routing: static routing and dynamic routing.

• Static routing: Static routing involves manually configuring routes on each router. This is typically used
in small networks where the topology is relatively simple and does not change frequently.
• Dynamic routing: Dynamic routing uses routing protocols to automatically discover and maintain
routes. This is typically used in large networks where the topology is complex or changes frequently.

Routing protocols

Routing protocols are used by routers to exchange routing information with each other. This allows routers
to learn about the networks that are connected to the network and the paths to those networks.

Some common routing protocols include:

• RIP: Routing Information Protocol (RIP) is a distance-vector routing protocol. This means that routers
advertise the distance to each destination network.
• OSPF: Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) is a link-state routing protocol. This means that routers flood
the network topology to all routers.
• BGP: Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is used to exchange routing information between different
autonomous systems (ASs). ASs are groups of networks that are under the same administrative
control.

Benefits of using routers

There are a number of benefits to using routers, including:

• Connectivity: Routers allow devices on different networks to communicate with each other.
• Security: Routers can help to protect networks from unauthorized access.
• Performance: Routers can improve the performance of networks by reducing traffic congestion.
• Scalability: Routers can be used to create networks of any size.

Routing is an essential part of computer networking. Routers use routing tables and routing protocols to select
the best paths for data packets to follow through a network.
Routers offer a number of benefits, including connectivity, security, performance, and scalability.

Static Routing

Introduction

Static routing is a type of routing where network administrators manually configure routes on each router.
This is typically used in small networks where the topology is relatively simple and does not change frequently.

Benefits of static routing

There are a number of benefits to using static routing, including:

• Simplicity: Static routing is simple to configure and manage.

Drawbacks of static routing

There are also some drawbacks to using static routing, including:

• Scalability: Static routing is difficult to scale to large networks because it requires manual configuration
of routes on each router.
• Adaptability: Static routing is not adaptable to changes in the network topology. If the topology
changes, the network administrator must manually update the routing tables on each router.

How static routing works

To configure static routing, a network administrator must manually enter the following information for each
route:

• The destination network or host

Once the routing tables are configured, the routers will use them to forward data packets to their destinations.

Example of static routing

In the following example, we have a network with two routers, R1 and R2, and two subnets, 192.168.1.0/24
and 192.168.2.0/24.

To configure static routing on R1 and R2, we would enter the following commands:

On R1:
ip route 192.168.2.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.2

On R2:

ip route 192.168.1.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.2.1

These commands will create static routes between the two subnets. When a device on subnet 192.168.1.0
wants to communicate with a device on subnet 192.168.2.0, the router will forward the packet to the next
hop router, which is 192.168.1.2. The next hop router will then forward the packet to its destination.

Static routing is a simple and effective way to route traffic in small networks. It is important to note, however,
that static routing does not scale well to large networks and is not adaptable to changes in the network
topology.

Differentiate between Static Routing and Dynamic Routing

Introduction

Routing is the process of selecting a path for a packet to follow through a network. There are two main types
of routing: static routing and dynamic routing.

Static routing involves manually configuring routes on each router. Dynamic routing uses routing protocols to
automatically discover and maintain routes.

Static routing

Static routing is typically used in small networks where the topology is relatively simple and does not change
frequently.

To configure static routing, a network administrator must manually enter the following information for each
route:

• The destination network or host

Dynamic routing

Dynamic routing is typically used in large networks where the topology is complex or changes frequently.

Dynamic routing protocols allow routers to automatically discover and maintain routes by exchanging routing
information with each other.

There are two main types of dynamic routing protocols: distance-vector protocols and link-state protocols.

• Distance-vector protocols, such as RIP and IGRP, advertise the distance to each destination network.
 • Link-state protocols, such as OSPF and IS-IS, flood the network topology to all routers.

Slide 5: Comparison of static and dynamic routing

Feature Static routing Dynamic routing

Configuration Manual Automatic

Scalability Limited High

Adaptability Low High

Complexity Simple Complex

Security High Low

Cost Low High

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Static routing and dynamic routing are two different approaches to routing traffic through a network. Static
routing is typically used in small networks where the topology is relatively simple and does not change
frequently. Dynamic routing is typically used in large networks where the topology is complex or changes
frequently.

The best type of routing for a particular network depends on a number of factors, such as the size and
complexity of the network, the budget, and the security requirements.