# Router |  | A router is a networking device that forwards data packets between computer networks. Routers perform the traffic directing functions between networks and on the global Internet. Data sent through a network, such as a web page or email, is in the form of data packets. A packet is typically forwarded from one router to another router through the networks that constitute an internetwork until it reaches its destination node. | |-|-| | | wikipedia:: [Router (computing)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Router_(computing)) | - [[Network Address Translation]] - [[Gateway (telecommunications)]] - Bridge Mode - [What Is Bridge Mode on a Router, and Why Should You Use It?](https://www.howtogeek.com/867942/what-is-router-bridge-mode/) - extender - [[Access Point]] - [[Mesh Networking]] - [[SSID]] - public/hidden - A router’s [[WAN]] port is essentially their external IP both for purposes of a normal residential gateway setup as well as when using a router to create another subnet - Routing vs Switching - [[Ethernet]] - frames & mac address - transport layer - switching - Vs - Routing - packets - ip address - - [[ARP]] kind of spans between them - arp was what was needed/created when IP was created in order to graft ip onto the ethernet/mac address system which came before it. - [[ARP]] packers are always constrained to a single [[LAN]]