Is router a software or hardware?

@tanvisharma-wSaer7 • Oct 26, 2024

Oct 26, 2024

1.5K

can anyone help me to know what exactly a router is..
i know the functionality of routers,
i just wanna know the structure of router,
and how the structure works....
please help me as soon as possible

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Anoop Kumar

@anoop-kumar-GDGRCn • May 29, 2013

Router is Traffic inspector of your network who can't bribed 😉.
It piece of hardware which maintain traffic of network flow on basis of some set of rules which can be configured in its own OS (firmware).
General purpose of router is primary and most powerful firewall from outside network and distribution of network into your local network.

PS: Switch is also a network hardware which distributes network without filtering.
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tanvisharma

@tanvisharma-wSaer7 • May 29, 2013

ianoop
Router is Traffic inspector of your network who can't bribed 😉.
It piece of hardware which maintain traffic of network flow on basis of some set of rules which can be configured in its own OS (firmware).
General purpose of router is primary and most powerful firewall from outside network and distribution of network into your local network.

PS: Switch is also a network hardware which distributes network without filtering.
yes but its still not clear, can you please elaborate it...
i know that it is a hardware, but it do function like, traffic control n all, where are all these in that device?
are there any chips or any software stuff inside it?
"It piece of hardware which maintain traffic of network flow on basis of some set of rules which can be configured in its own OS (firmware)."
what is its awn os here??? wats a firmware???
waiting for your response...
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Abhishek Rawal

@abhishek-fg9tRh • May 29, 2013

Firmware means a program which is loaded inside the ROM of the hardware.It controls how the specific hardware in which it is installed will work.

Router,Scanner,Printers,etc almost every electronics devices have Firmware.
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Kaustubh Katdare

@thebigk • May 29, 2013

It's a hardware that functions because of the software (firmware). Check this thread for difference between firmware and software: <a href="https://www.crazyengineers.com/threads/difference-between-firmware-and-software.36768">Difference between Firmware and Software</a>

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Anoop Kumar

@anoop-kumar-GDGRCn • May 29, 2013
#-Link-Snipped-#
Firmware controls the hardware, like you see a music player. If you remember old cassettes/cd players physical keys controls volume changing track, seek or stop function but later music players come with control panel to view and touch buttons. These are handled by hardware specific firmware (software).
Exactly the same way routers have firmware to provide you easiness to manage your network.
Generally you can access your router by
```
https://router
https://192.168.1.1
```
I hope you got cleared out what exactly router is all about.
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rahul69

@rahul69-97fAOs • May 29, 2013

tanvisharma
yes but its still not clear, can you please elaborate it...
i know that it is a hardware, but it do function like, traffic control n all, where are all these in that device?
are there any chips or any software stuff inside it?
"It piece of hardware which maintain traffic of network flow on basis of some set of rules which can be configured in its own OS (firmware)."
what is its awn os here??? wats a firmware???
waiting for your response...
A simpler analogy is a mobile phone. Now think, is it hardware or software?? It performs different functions based on some set of rules which can be configured in its own OS, right!!! Similar is the case with router, I hope this helps in clearing your doubt a bit😀.
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tanvisharma

@tanvisharma-wSaer7 • May 30, 2013

thank you all....
😀
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durga ch

@durga-TpX3gO • Jun 21, 2013

Router is a filtering and forwarding device required in any network. Filtering here refers to checking the packets and dropping them and forwarding refers to sending across the packet to appropriate out port.
frankly in that sense, router and switch both does filtering and forwarding, but the difference being router acts on L3 headers where as switch acts on L2 headers, also the fabric within the devices vary to facilitate this functionality.

All hardware devices need a software counterpart to run on them. Routers in general are considered software based operators, where as L2 devices are hardware switches- that doesnot mean they don't have OS. Since routers have historically been software based , its on routers that we can implement filter lists, QoS policies and other traffic engineering techniques.

Though , now a combination of these (hardware switching + router functionality) combined together and brought across as L3 device.
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Scorpion007

@scorpion007-Mj7x2o • Jun 26, 2013

Basically Router is used to rout the data traffic. Basically router is used to Connect Two or more different networks of IP range.
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