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Networking Fundamentals · Foundational

Default Gateway

The router address a host sends traffic to when the destination is on a different subnet.

Definition

A host compares a destination with its own network; if remote, it ARPs for the default gateway's MAC address and sends the frame there while keeping the original destination IP. The gateway must be on the same subnet as the host. A missing or incorrect gateway lets local communication work while all remote access fails.

Example

A PC at 192.168.1.50/24 typically uses 192.168.1.1 as its default gateway.

Exam tip

If a host can ping local hosts but not the Internet or other subnets, suspect the default gateway first.

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