What does a brouter do?

A brouter is a device that combines the functionalities of both a bridge and a router. This means it can perform the tasks of managing traffic between different network segments (like a bridge) and also make intelligent routing decisions based on the data's destination address (like a router).

Since bridges operate at the data link layer and connect different network segments by filtering traffic, and routers operate at the network layer to direct data packets between different networks, a brouter effectively bridges the gap between these two layers. By doing so, it can enhance network performance through efficient data transmission and management, making it a valuable component in certain networking scenarios.

This versatility allows a brouter to handle various types of network traffic seamlessly, adapting to the specific requirements of different protocols and types of data, leading to improved connectivity and communication across diverse network environments.