The Fundamental Difference Between Gateway and Router
Network infrastructure devices have revolutionized the world of network connectivity by making it more efficient and reliable. Two such devices that play a crucial role in shaping network connections are gateways and routers. However, these two are often used interchangeably, which can lead to much confusion among new network implementers.
What is a Gateway?
A gateway is the node that provides access to an entirely different network. It can provide compatibility between two different networks using different protocols, making communication possible between systems that would otherwise not be able to communicate. A gateway can also offer other functionalities like load balancing, firewalling, and protocol translation.
For example, if a network device wants to communicate with other devices on an entirely different network like the internet, the gateway will be responsible for connecting the local network to the internet. To accomplish this, the gateway must have a public IP address and provide translation between protocols such as TCP/IP and OSI.
What is a Router?
A router is another vital network device that is responsible for forwarding data packets from one network to another. Unlike a gateway, routers operate within the same network and use the IP address to enable communication between devices.
A router looks at the source and destination IP addresses of a data packet and decides how to transmit it through the network before sending it to the destination. It does not concern itself with the network protocols used by the devices, unlike a gateway.
For instance, when a device connected to a router tries to send data to another device on the same network, the router will forward the data packet to the destination IP address over the local network. If the destination IP address is in another network, the router will forward it to the gateway responsible for connecting to the other network.
Conclusion
While both gateways and routers perform similar functions, they have different purposes that need to be understood to make the right choice for network implementations. A router handles the communication between devices within the same network, while a gateway connects devices from one network to another. Understanding the differences between these two devices is crucial when making technical decisions on network infrastructure implementations.
Table difference between gateway and router
| Gateway | Router |
|---|---|
| A gateway is a network node that connects two or more networks together and routes traffic between them. | A router is a device that is used for forwarding data packets between computer networks. |
| A gateway is used to connect networks that use different protocols or technologies. | A router is used to connect two or more different networks and direct traffic between them based on its routing table. |
| Gateways are used in wide area networks (WANs) to connect smaller networks and give devices access to the Internet. | Routers are commonly used in local area networks (LANs) to connect devices together and also to connect the LAN to the Internet. |
| A gateway can perform protocol translation, converting traffic from one protocol to another. | A router does not typically perform protocol translation. |
| A gateway can be a hardware device, software program, or a combination of both. | Routers are typically dedicated hardware devices but can also be implemented as software programs. |
| A gateway can be used to provide security for a network by acting as a firewall. | Routers can also be used as a firewall but typically require additional hardware or software to provide robust security features. |