Активные компоненты

Routers are in the group of the inter-networking systems. They are used to interconnect several networks with different or with same access protocols, to realize networks over larger ranges and to introduce a suitable flow control. Routers interconnect two independent logical and physical networks on the level three of the OSI reference model. The layers below on the physical level and the layers for the media access may be different. Routing designates the function of deciding at a router — i.e. at the interface between two networks — which path the data transmitted in the network is to take. For this purpose, the router must understand the protocol of a packet to be able to identify the destinations. This shows that the functionality of a certain router depends on the protocols it understands. Modular router may include network connections for Ethernet, Token Ring, Fast Ethernet, FDDI, ATM, or network management and slot modules for ISDN, ATM, Frame Relay, X25 etc. for external binding.