What is Routing? – Network Routing Explained – AWS

A router is a networking device that connects computing devices and networks to other networks. Routers primarily serve three main functions.

Path determination

A router determines the path data takes when it moves from a source to a destination. It tries to find the best path by analyzing network metrics such as delay, capacity, and speed.

Data forwarding

A router forwards data to the next device on the selected path to eventually reach its destination. The device and router may be on the same network or on different networks.

Load balancing

Sometimes the router may send copies of the same data packet by using multiple different paths. It does this to reduce errors due to data losses, create redundancy, and manage traffic volume.