gen-define-the-default-gateway-and-give-one-short-worked-example-4507

Define the default gateway and give one short worked example.

# Default Gateway ## Definition A **default gateway** is a router or network device that serves as an access point for data packets to travel from a local network to destinations outside that network (such as the Internet or other subnets). When a device needs to communicate with an IP address not on its local network, it forwards the traffic to the default gateway. ## Worked Example **Scenario:** A computer wants to visit www.google.com - **Computer IP:** 192.168.1.100 - **Subnet Mask:** 255.255.255.0 (local network is 192.168.1.0/24) - **Default Gateway:** 192.168.1.1 - **Google's IP:** 142.250.80.46 **What happens:** 1. The computer determines that 142.250.80.46 is **not** on the local network (192.168.1.x) 2. Since it's an external destination, the computer sends the packet to its default gateway (192.168.1.1) 3. The gateway/router forwards the packet to the Internet 4. The packet eventually reaches Google's server 5. The response follows the reverse path back through the gateway to the computer **Without a default gateway configured**, the computer could only communicate with devices on 192.168.1.0/24 and couldn't reach the Internet.