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Router
and Routing
row´ter) (n.) A device that forwards data packets along
networks. A router is connected to at least two networks,
commonly two LANs or WANs or a LAN and its ISP’s network.
Routers are located at gateways, the places where two or
more networks connect. Routing is a process preformed by a
router which moves packets of data around the Internet. A
router makes sure that a message is sent and received and is
part of what makes TCP/IP such a useful protocol suite.
To be
able to successfully start routing a router uses headers and
a forwarding table to find the destinations for packets. A
router uses the ICMP protocol section of the TCP/IP protocol
suite. Routers use headers and forwarding tables to
determine the best path for forwarding the packets, and they
use protocols such as ICMP to communicate with each other
and configure the best route between any two hosts.
Very
little filtering of data is done through routers
Definition:
A network gateway is an internetworking system, a system
that joins two networks together. A network gateway can be
implemented completely in software, completely in hardware,
or as a combination of the two. Depending on their
implementation, network gateways can operate at any level of
the OSI model from application protocols to low-level
signaling.
A
Cisco router is a computer device that receives or forwards
data packets to and from the Internet towards a destination
in the process called routing. A router is the essential
component of the computer networking that enables any sent
data to arrive at the right destination.
As an
illustration, imagine that the Internet is the world and one
computer is one household. Other computers connected through
the Internet are households around the world. Say one
household will send a letter to another household in any
part of the world. The letter has an address right? And that
address would determine the destination of the letter. But
without one reading the address, the letter would not arrive
to the right receiver. The letter also would not be able to
reach the intended receiver if there is not medium. This
medium would be the courier. And the courier of the computer
data is the router.
A
router (broadband router) is also a device that enables two
or more computer to receive data packets from the Internet
under one IP address at the same time.
Remember that to be able to connect to the Internet, a
computer must have an IP address unique from the rest of the
computers. Therefore, every computer connected to the
Internet has it own IP address. It is like having a
fingerprint or ID as an access pass to be able to enter the
web. With the presence of the router, this “fingerprint” or
“ID” could be shared by two or more computer at the same
time.
In
simplest form, a router makes two or more computer use the
Internet at the same with one access pass.
One
more thing:
a computer with cable modem could also be considered as a
router. In this, the computer would do the process of
routing like normal routers do. Other computers are then
connected to the computer with Internet connection that
would give it with the Internet connection. The computer
with cable modem has the direct contact with the Internet
and the ones connected to it are sharing the connection.
Why
would anyone need a router?
For
households with two or more computers who would want to have
Internet connection to every computers they have, taking
subscription for each would be too much. The solution is to
buy a router that would enable every computer in the house
to have an Internet connection. In the definition above, the
broadband router would act as a hub to the existing Internet
connection.
If the
router is comparable to a hub, would it affect the Internet
speed?
It
should be taken into consideration that once a single
Internet connection is divided, the connection speed is
affected. But there are some broadband routers that would
bring minimal slowdown to the Internet speed and the effect
might not even be big.
Internet speed would also depend on the type of application
used in a router. While some would inflict little effect on
the speed like online games, others would terribly slowdown
your connection and even hinder you to use the Internet at
all.
Usually, offices use a more sophisticated router to redirect
Internet connections to the large number of computers. These
routers would give better data packeting compared to a
typical router used at home that results to faster Internet
speed.
When
it comes to deciding to undergo computer training, you may
be interested in getting the basics before applying for the
right certifications, if you already have heard about CCNE,
CCIE, CCNP and CCNA certification.
The
first thing you need to know before deciding is that Cisco
actually offers 3 different levels of general certification,
which represents in each case increasing levels of
expertise.
The
first step in Cisco networking and computer training always
begins at the Associate level, which is the foundation or
apprentice level of Cisco certification.
After
the Associate Level, comes the Professional, which is the
journeyman or advanced level of networking certification,
and finally the Expert level, standing for the CCIE, the
highest level of achievement for network professionals,
certifying an individual as master or expert of the IT
industry.
Cisco
certifications, Associate, Professional, or Expert (CCIE)
are the tools anyone may need developing a professional
career, with different tracks across these levels according
to your career needs.
There
are also a variety of Specialist certifications such as
including CCNP, CCNE and CCNA certification, available to
certify knowledge in specific solutions, technologies or job
roles, with new certifications added to Cisco's list
regularly.
Computer training and general certifications are divided in
six paths:
-
Routing and Switching,
certification aimed at professionals who install and support
any Cisco technology-based networks in which LAN and WAN
routers and switches reside.
-Design certification,
is the path for those professionals who design Cisco
technology-based networks in which LAN and WAN routers and
switches reside.
-Network Security,
certification directed to network professionals who are in
charge of design and implement Cisco Secure networks.
-
Service Provider,
certification aimed at professionals who work on
infrastructure or access solutions in a Cisco end-to-end
environment within the telecommunications arena.
-
Storage Networking certification,
intended for professionals implementing storage solutions
over extended network infrastructure, but using multiple
transport options.
-
Voice certification,
for those professionals who install and maintain Voice
solutions over IP networks.
Cisco’s most popular computer training certifications are:
CCNP
certification (Cisco Certified Network Professional),
indicates a network professional who can install, configure,
and troubleshoot local and wide area networks for enterprise
organizations with networks from 100 to more than 500 nodes.
CCNE
certification (Cisco Certified Network Engineer) and CCNA
certification (Cisco Certified Networking Associate)
develops the respective computer training and skills
required to individually pursue the Cisco Certified
Professional (CCNP) certification noted above, part of the 3
basic CISCO levels.
Cisco
Router or Computer training for these certifications give
the knowledge to design, install, configure, maintain, and
troubleshoot networks, ensuring that students emerge with
the skills necessary for the Internet marketplace.
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