We have received lots of requests concerning this query: “Which of the following is not a task handled by a router?” with 4 given answers below:
- A router can connect dissimilar networks
- A router can reroute traffic if the path of the first choice is down but a second path is available
- A router can interpret Layer 3 and often Layer 4 addressing
- A router forwards broadcasts over the network
To help you clearly understand each choice and which of them is correct, let’s go through them one by one.
See also: How do I access my NETGEAR router if I forgot the password?
Which Of The Following Is Not A Task Handled By A Router?
In case you need to review, a router is a piece of hardware that helps your local home network such as your PCs and other devices communicate with the Internet. It acts as an information manager between the internet and all online devices.
A router is like a small computer that has a CPU and memory to process incoming and outgoing data. These data may be conveyed from devices to the internet or between them.
So a router has something to do with network data processing, which means it can do a lot of things concerning data packets. Then which of the following tasks is not handled by a router?
See more: How To Fix The Spectrum Router Red Light?
Can a router connect dissimilar networks?
Yes, it can. A router can connect dissimilar networks thanks to its built-in gateway. A gateway is like a portal in a network, it acts as a key stopping point for data when going back and forth in a network system.
We are able to send and receive data thanks to the gateway, which means without it, our network system is useless.
Can a router reroute traffic if the path of the first choice is down but a second path is available?
First off, we need to know how a router routes. As its name suggests, it can route, of course, but how? As we’ve discussed above, a router is like a mini-computer. It has a CPU and RAM to process data flows.
Any incoming received on an incoming interface is placed in the router’s RAM. When it is placed in RAM, the L2 header is stripped off, exposing the L3 header. The destination address is also exposed, it is used to reference the routing table to see if it is actually a match in the routing table for the router to use to forward the traffic.
If there is a match, the incoming traffic will then be switched to the outgoing interface and the L2 header will be rebuilt. Then, the traffic is sent out.
How a router routes the traffic is determined by routing protocol, which is based on an algorithm to find the best path to the target. If only one path presents, the choice is pretty straightforward.
However, if there is more than 1 path, the routing protocol will make a choice: it will take the best path available and keep the others as a back-up plan until needed.
Now, you can see that if the path of the first choice is down but a second path is available, the router can still reroute the traffic.
See also: How to Get to Router Settings
Can a router interpret Layer 3 and often Layer 4 addressing?
The Network Layer or Layer 3 determines the internet’s addressing structure and the routing between packets. This layer usually offers details on the transport layer protocol and local scans for data integrity.
The Transport Layer or Layer 4 is responsible for ensuring that the transport between two devices is identifiable and reliable. Almost all data (user or program data) will be checked before passing down to the Network layer.
Since a router can operate mainly on Layer 3 and sometimes Layer 4, it can interpret Layer 3 and often Layer 4 addressing without any trouble. So, the answer is yes.
See more: All router brands
Can a router forward broadcasts over the network?
We are talking about the IPv4 in this case. Short answer, no. Need a longer answer? Keep reading.
IPv4 uses limited broadcasts and directed broadcasts. Limited broadcasts will not be forwarded since they are not routable. Directed broadcasts, however, are routable but by default, they will not be forwarded, either.
The router doesn’t forward broadcasts, it will drop the packet immediately as soon as it recognizes that the packet is a broadcast. Most routers will just separate the broadcast domains. Layer 2 devices such as switches will do the broadcast thing.
From here, you must have comprehended the correct answer for today’s question. Quite a tough one isn’t it?
Bottom lines
So, which of those is not a task handled by a router? It’s forwarding broadcasts over the network a router can’t do, obviously. Some routers these days can forward directed broadcasts, though, but it is when and only when you know how to configure them correctly.
