A router is a device that forwards data between computer networks. It connects your home network to the internet. It also directs traffic within a network. When you send an email, the router decides which path the data takes. It reads the destination address and sends the packet on its way.

Routers work at the network layer. They maintain routing tables that map destinations to paths. They use protocols like OSPF and BGP to share routing information. Home routers combine routing, switching, Wi-Fi, and firewall functions in one box. Enterprise routers are more specialized and powerful.

Types of routers

• Home: Wi-Fi, Ethernet, firewall
• Enterprise: high throughput, redundancy
• Core: backbone of the internet
• Edge: connects networks to the internet
• Virtual: software-defined, runs in cloud

Routers are the traffic cops of the internet. Without them, data would not know where to go. They are not glamorous. But when your internet goes down, the router is the first thing you check.