Default gateway and routing tables

Networking Fundamentals · lesson 9 of 17 · 15 min

• Default gateway and routing tables
• The

default gateway is the router that a device sends packets to when the destination is outside its local subnet. It is the “exit door” of the local network.

• How a packet travels
• 1. Device checks: is the destination IP on my subnet? (Compare with subnet mask.)

1. If yes: send directly via ARP + Ethernet frame.
2. If no: send to the default gateway. The gateway forwards it toward the destination, hop by hop. Reading a routing table Each entry has: Destination network · Subnet mask · Next hop (or interface) · Metric (cost). The router picks the route with the longest matching prefix and lowest metric. Tech Camp for Kids Learning Terminal

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