Difference Between Gateway and Bridge : Gateway vs Bridge | Answerthings69

A Gateway and a Bridge are two important devices used in networking. Although they are both used to connect two different networks, they serve different purposes.

A Gateway is a device that connects two networks that use different protocols. It acts as an entry or exit point for a network and it is used to translate data from one format to another. A Gateway is a very intelligent device as it is capable of analyzing the data passing through it and making decisions based on that analysis. It can also provide additional services such as security, routing, and protocol conversion.

A Bridge is used to connect two networks that use the same protocol. It is a simple device that is used to join two separate local area networks (LANs) together. A Bridge operates at the Data Link Layer (Layer 2) of the OSI model and it is used to forward data packets between the two networks.

Gateway vs Bridge

Criteria	Gateway	Bridge
Purpose	Connects different networks with different protocols	Connects different segments of the same network
Functionality	Converts data between different protocols	Forwards data within the same protocol
Network Layer	Operates at the OSI network layer (Layer 3)	Operates at the OSI data link layer (Layer 2)
Addressing	Uses IP addresses to identify different networks	Uses MAC addresses to identify different devices
Routing	Performs routing between different networks	Does not perform routing
Broadcast	Does not forward broadcasts between networks	Forwards broadcasts between different network segments
Network Size	Can connect networks of different sizes and types	Typically used to connect smaller network segments
Security	Can provide network-level security functions	Does not provide network-level security functions
Cost	Generally more expensive than bridges	Generally less expensive than gateways
Examples	Firewall, NAT router, VPN gateway, application gateway	Ethernet bridge, wireless bridge, repeater, switch, hub