Q1.

Differentiate the followings:

 Routers vs Gateways
Routers:
1. A router is a three-layer device that routes packets based on their logical addresses
(host-to-host addressing).
2. Router is a network device that forwards packets from one network to another. Based
on internal routing tables, routers read each incoming packet and decide how to
forward it.
3. Primary goal is to route traffic from one network to other.
4. A router is mainly used in the local area network(LAN) and wide area network(WAN)
domain.
5. The data is transferred across the network by using the routing protocols.
6. It supports dynamic routing.
7. It is much more costly in comparison to other network devices like hub, switch etc.
8. It is hosted on only the dedicated applications(Router hardware).
9. Working principle of a router is to install routing details for various networks and routing
traffic based upon the destination address.
10. The additional features provided by a router are Wireless networking, Static routing,
NAT, DHCP server etc.

Gateways:
1. A gateway is normally a computer that operates in all five layers of the Internet or seven
layers of OSI model.
2. Gateway is a device that is used for the communication among the networks which have
a different set of protocols.
3. Primary goal is to translate from one protocol to other.
4. The gateway functions as an entry/exit point to the network.
5. It does not support dynamic routing.
6. Unlike bridges and routers, gateways operate slowly because of protocol conversion.
7. It is hosted on the dedicated application, physical servers, and virtual applications.
8. Gateways can provide security.
9. Working principle of a gateway is to differentiate what is inside the network and what is
outside the network.
10. The additional features provided by a gateway are network access control, protocol
conversion etc.
  Repeaters vs Bridges
Repeaters:
1. A repeater is a device that operates only in the physical layer.
2. Repeater is an electronic device which just regenerates the attenuated signals to its
original wave form. It regenerates the weak signal and increases the range of the
network.
3. A Repeater regenerates the signal to travel longer distances cable over a network.
4. A repeater does not actually connect two LANs; it connects two segments of the same
LAN.
5. Repeater cannot understand the physical address and MAC address of station.
6. Repeater cannot understand the frame format.
7. Repeater forwards the collision from one segment to another, which causes the same
issue to occur on all other segments in the network.
8. Repeater expands the limit of the signals in the network.
9. Repeater cannot perform packet filtering.
10. Repeater is also used to extend a LAN, but comparably economical than the bridge.

Bridges:
1. A bridge operates in both the physical and the data link layer.
2. Bridges simply pass all protocols along the network. Because bridge has capability to
allow traffic of multiple protocols, it mainly depends on sender and receiver to
communicate on same protocol.
3. As traffic passes through the bridge, information about the computer addresses is then
stored in the bridge's RAM. The bridge will then use this RAM to build a routing table
based on source addresses.
4. Bridge use MAC address of stations to deliver packets to destination.
5. The Bridge can understand the frame format.
6. In the network, if collision occurs in the one segment, it is not forwarded to another
segment.
7. Bridge connects two networks in a well-organized manner.
8. A bridge has filtering capability. It can check the destination address of a frame and
decide if the frame should be forwarded or drop.
9. Reduce traffic bottlenecks resulting from an excessive number of attached computers.
10. Bridges are relatively expensive and used to extend a LAN.