Five Components Common to All Routers
A router provides a computer network with a central hub for transmitting information. All routers are based on an a shared architecture. When a data packet enters a router, it is processed by the device's central processing unit and directed along the appropriate network path to a data output port.
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Network Interfaces
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There are two types of router network interfaces: input ports and output ports. Input ports unscramble packet data from the datalink layer and transmit that data into the device's interconnection network. Once the data is processed by the router, it is forwarded to an output port, which encapsulates output data for transmission and delivers it to the appropriate network address.
Processor
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A router is powered by a processing unit that monitors and controls the flow of information across the device. Each time a packet of information enters the router, the processor calculates the appropriate destination location using a forwarding table that contains a routing algorithm. The processor then executes the routing protocol, which transfers the packet to the desired location. The router processor is also responsible for running router management and configuration software.
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Interconnection Network
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Once a packet of data enters into the router's interface input port it passes into the device's interconnection network. The type of interconnection network present in a router depends on the age and quality of the device. Simple routers directly link input and output ports using a bus; more complex devices may feature multiple busses connected in a crossbar array. Other routers store all data in a single memory location. Rather than physically moving the data across the device, they handle routing by changing pointers to the data.
ROM Memory
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The most basic aspects of a router's setup information are hard-coded into its memory store. A router stores such permanent configuration information in its ROM, or read-only memory. ROM contains software that initiates upon starting up the router, including boot loading software and diagnostic tests. ROM also contains the router's core operating system software.
RAM Memory
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In addition to permanent memory stores, all routers also contain RAM or random access memory. Your router stores information in RAM memo that is pertinent only to your current routing session. When you switch your router off, the device flushes the contents of RAM. Routers also contain a specialized non-volatile variant of RAM called NVRAM. The router retains software configuration and startup information in its NVRAM store. NVRAM is not reset when the router is powered off.
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References
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