What is the primary function of a router in a network?

A router's primary function is to direct data packets between different networks and manage traffic. Routers use routing tables and protocols to determine the most efficient paths for data to travel from the source to its destination. When data packets arrive at a router, it inspects the packets' destination addresses and makes routing decisions to forward them toward their target network. This process ensures effective communication between various networks, such as connecting a home network to the internet or linking multiple office networks.

In contrast, connecting devices within the same network typically falls to switches rather than routers. While routers can assign IP addresses through protocols like DHCP, this is not their primary function; it's more of an ancillary service. Secure file transfer is the responsibility of other protocols and applications that operate on top of the networking stack but does not describe the main role of a router.