What role does a router play in a network?
A) It connects devices within the same local network.
B) It encrypts data transmission to secure the network.
C) It manages the allocation of IP addresses to devices.
D) It routes data between different networks, facilitating inter-network communication.
Answer:
D) It routes data between different networks, facilitating inter-network communication.
Explanation:
A router is a networking device that operates at the network layer (Layer 3) of the OSI model. Its primary role is to route data packets between different networks. Routers make decisions about the most efficient path for data to travel from one network to another, allowing devices on different networks to communicate with each other. They also perform tasks such as network address translation (NAT) and assigning IP addresses to devices within a local network, but their core function is to enable communication between networks.