Which device connects two or more networks and routes traffic based on addresses?

Which device connects two or more networks and routes traffic based on addresses?

• A. Gateway
• B. Switch
• C. Hub
• D. Router

Answer: (D)

Traffic moving between different networks is directed by a device that knows how to reach the destination IP address and can choose the next hop toward that destination. That capability is what a router provides, operating at the network layer to forward packets between networks using a routing table. A switch, by contrast, forwards frames within the same network based on MAC addresses (or within VLANs for segmentation) but doesn’t route between separate networks. A hub is a basic repeater that does not inspect addresses or route traffic. A gateway can connect networks and may perform protocol translation, but the specific action described—routing based on addresses—is the core function of a router. In PCI DSS contexts, routers are used to segment networks and regulate traffic into the cardholder data environment, enforcing boundaries and access controls.

Traffic moving between different networks is directed by a device that knows how to reach the destination IP address and can choose the next hop toward that destination. That capability is what a router provides, operating at the network layer to forward packets between networks using a routing table. A switch, by contrast, forwards frames within the same network based on MAC addresses (or within VLANs for segmentation) but doesn’t route between separate networks. A hub is a basic repeater that does not inspect addresses or route traffic. A gateway can connect networks and may perform protocol translation, but the specific action described—routing based on addresses—is the core function of a router. In PCI DSS contexts, routers are used to segment networks and regulate traffic into the cardholder data environment, enforcing boundaries and access controls.