At which layer of the OSI model do routers operate?

Routers operate at Layer 3 of the OSI model, which is known as the Network layer. This layer is responsible for routing packets across different networks and managing logical addressing, typically using IP addresses. Routers analyze the destination IP address of packets, determine the best path for them based on various routing protocols, and forward them accordingly.

This functionality is crucial for interconnecting multiple networks, enabling communication between devices on different IP networks. By operating at Layer 3, routers can make decisions about where to send data packets based on network conditions, making them essential components in both local and wide area networks.

Other layers, such as Layer 1 (Physical) and Layer 2 (Data Link), deal with the physical transmission of data and the framing of that data, respectively, while Layer 4 (Transport) focuses on the transmission of data segments and ensuring reliable communication. These layers serve different purposes but do not provide the same routing capabilities as the Network layer.