What networking function is typically performed by a Default Gateway?

The role of a Default Gateway is primarily to serve as the forwarding host, which sends packets from a local network to remote networks, including the Internet. When devices within a local area network (LAN) need to communicate with devices outside their own subnet, they send their traffic to the Default Gateway, which directs this traffic appropriately.

Connecting to the Internet involves sending data packets out to external networks, for which the Default Gateway is essential. It recognizes when a destination IP address does not belong to the local subnet and forwards the packets to the appropriate external network, effectively allowing local devices to communicate with the broader network, including the Internet.

While routing within a LAN involves directing traffic between devices within the same network, this function is typically performed by switches, rather than by the Default Gateway. Assigning IP addresses is the job of DHCP servers, and encrypting data packets is a security function typically managed by different protocols and applications, rather than the Default Gateway itself.