asked 90.2k views
2 votes
Which portion of the network layer address does a router use to forward packets?

a. host portion
b. broadcast address
c. network portion
d. gateway address

asked
User Aditzu
by
8.1k points

2 Answers

2 votes

Final answer:

A router uses the network portion of the network layer address to forward packets.

Step-by-step explanation:

A router uses the network portion of the network layer address to forward packets. The network portion of the address identifies the network to which the packet needs to be sent. The host portion specifies the specific device within that network.

answered
User GrandSteph
by
7.6k points
4 votes

A network portion is the portion of the network layer address which router uses to forward packets.

When a router receives a packet, it examines the network portion of the destination address to determine which network the packet should be forwarded to. The network portion of the address identifies the specific network segment to which the packet belongs.

Routers maintain routing tables that map network addresses to the appropriate outgoing interface, allowing them to make informed decisions about where to send the packet.

The host portion of the address is used to identify individual devices within a network and is not relevant for routing decisions. Broadcast addresses are used for sending data packets to all devices within a specific network segment and are not used for routing between networks.

Therefore, the Option C is correct.

answered
User Fergus Barker
by
8.6k points