Routers

Router is a hardware device that manages the route choice for packet knowledge. Routers are used to connect different networks. Each network may have been implemented independently & include stations with same address. If a LAN message is intended for another network, the router accepts it. Each individual router understands the whole net topology. After a router determines the best route for a message, it is passed along the route & the address of the route.

Outside routers need a micro, or more network interface cards, & router application. They support a local interface, remote interface & protocols; & can handle concurrent communication among different LAN access methods, such as Ethernet, token ring, & fiber distributed knowledge interface. However, only nodes that use the same protocol can be linked. Router use the network layer address, they can pick the best net work path between any nodes. This might be a function of the least expensive, most cost-effective, least congested, highest knowledge rate, least number of hopes between & nodes, or some combination of these factors.

The path between routers is decided by inter router communications protocols. The most popular are

Router knowledge protocol (RIP) is a simple, vector-based, hop-count metric. All routers broadcast their whole RIP knowledge base across the net every 60 seconds, whether there are changes or not.

Open shortest path first makes use of a link-state algorithm that allows a router to dynamically monitor status changes of each link & broadcast those changes immediately.

Interior gateway routing protocol, developed by route seller Cisco systems & it is an enhanced proprietary version of RIP.

Because each individual router understands the whole internet's topology, a router can automatically pick up a failed device's traffic load, there by rerouting traffic around the failed router. This network partitioning also means that the separate LAN can still function as local communication paths. A router net is more secure than a bridged LAN because a communication device has access to the router's addressing capabilities only when needed. Router reliability is measured in mean time between failures. High finish protocol routers offer redundant power supplies, hot swappable parts, & fault-tolerant bus architecture.

Hybrid routers application can handle both functions. If the application cannot identify the protocol for the packet-routing request, it fundamentally bridges the packet. Internal bridges included with such LAN operating systems as net ware & LAN manager can be used for routing functions. Each network interface card in the file server supports a different logical network.