this post was submitted on 31 Mar 2025
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Well, technically it's the only choice for a router... We are getting so used to the router/switch combo we will forget what exactly is a router. Which is probably good, I guess.
I mean, technically there's no reason a router can't route between more than two networks. For example, I've got both fiber and cable Internet (for no real good reason -- I ought to cancel one and save some money) and I've configured my OpenWRT router to have two different uplinks, reconfiguring one of the four LAN ports to WAN2 instead.
I've also got the other ports configured for separate VLANs (walling my untrustworthy Chinese ONVIF cameras off from being able to phone home, for example), but I think that's technically not "routing" 'cause it's OSI layer 2.
I assume it's not common to have more that two networks being routed, especially in a SOHO environment, but it's definitely not impossible.
That's not entirely true. Having a router with multiple interfaces is useful for multiple physical networks like VoIP, OOB, dmz, etc. We use vlans a lot for that now, but it's not fair to say only two ports is the only choice.
A router is also an open-by-default device, and knows how to handle routing protocols like OSPF. It's not something you would usually use at home unless you're into that sort of thing. Things we tend to call a "router" are all-in-one firewall/switch/access points.
Only some have an internal switch, others just have multiple NICs.
That is what a router is, switches are generally a separate thing. It is only the home hybrids that combine the two different things.
I have two separate networks in my home + WAN the router combines all 3 as they are designed for. The switches just switch the packets in those separate networks. (and not to get all fancy with layer 3 switches)
Nah, I have a NetGate (pfSense) rackmount router/firewall with multiple ports. Isn't that pretty standard with enterprise gear now days? Only 2-port routers I've seen are ones I build from old PCs.
more and more over the past like 5 years only. All the cisco and juniper enterprise went from like 4 ports (expected to be an entirely different network on each port and they go directly into a large switch) to having a lot more swappable port interfaces
like https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/products/networking/sdwan-routers/catalyst-8300-series-platforms/index.html
Are you too used to Cisco devices? Mikrotik routers also have multiple ethernet ports, that are not connected to an internal switch.