Home Router & OSI Model

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netsider

Limp Gawd
Joined
Oct 12, 2004
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466
A long time ago I had a question about my home router and how it related to the OSI model. When it comes to networking theory, I like to get really in-depth. According to the OSI model, everybody knows a router is a layer 3 device, and a switch is a layer 2 device. Router's use IP/MAC, switches use MAC/port addresses. Switches connect segments and devices together, but routers are used to connect networks and subnets together. How do you explain the average home wireless router? It connects your ISP's subnet/network to your home network, and creates a separate network/subnet in your home. However, it can also connect computers together, which is not really the job of a router.

See where I'm getting confused? Someone told me that it's a router with a built in switch, and that (they think) the WAN/external IP is assigned to the router portion of the device, and the internal/LAN IP is what is assigned to the switch portion. I just want a clear, concise answer... if there is one. I know sometimes there isn't.

Thanks guys...
 
They are a router with a built-in switch. The WAN IP goes on the external interface of the router that connects to your ISP. The internal IP goes on the inside interface of the router. The switch part has no IP since it's a basic switch.
 
netsider said:
Someone told me that it's a router with a built in switch, and that (they think) the WAN/external IP is assigned to the router portion of the device, and the internal/LAN IP is what is assigned to the switch portion. I just want a clear, concise answer... if there is one. I know sometimes there isn't.

Thanks guys...
Click to expand...
That is correct - no need to over-complicate it.

Just because they're in 1 box, and 1 board, (even sharing 1 CPU) doesn't mean they're not conceptually "2 devices".

When you get in your car does it become a person because you're inside, or is it still just a car?
 
Alright, I understand now. Yeah.. I mainly wanted someone to simplify it and make it more clear, like you guys did.
 
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