A router is a hardware device that allows the interconnection of computers in a network.
The router or router is a device that operates in layer three of level 3. Thus, it allows several networks or computers to connect with each other and, for example, share the same Internet connection.
A router uses a routing protocol, which allows it to communicate with other routers or routers and share information with each other to find out the fastest and most appropriate route to send data.
A typical router works in a control plane (in this plane the device obtains information about the most effective output for a specific data packet) and in a forwarding plane (in this plane the device is in charge of sending the data packet received to another interface).
The router has multiple more or less complex uses. In its most common use, a router allows multiple computers in a home or small office to take advantage of the same Internet connection. In this sense, the router operates as a receiver of the network connection to be responsible for distributing it to all the computers connected to it. Thus, a network or Internet is connected to another in the local area.
Today, it is easy to obtain a router in a more or less inexpensive way from different brands. There are also those routers that use open source software and therefore allow greater financial savings. In addition, softwares have been developed that facilitate the operation between networks even if there is no dedicated team of use.
Finally, recently, wireless routers have been designed, which operate with fixed and mobile networks and, therefore, can provide a Wi-Fi connection to different devices within a home, office or even in a larger space.
