Editing Data forwarder

{{Short description|Type of telecommunications of data routing equipment}}

In [[telecommunications]], a '''data forwarder''' or '''data forwarding device''' is a device that receives [[data]] from one [[data link]] and retransmits data representing the same [[information]], using proper [[content format|format]] and [[link protocol]]s, to another data link. In the [[packet network]]s, this act of forwarding is referred to as [[packet forwarding]] and is performed by [[network switch]]es or [[network router]]s.

For example, in the [[tactical communications]] a data forwarder may forward data between: 
* links that are identical, ''i.e.,'' [[TADIL]] B to TADIL B, 
* links that are similar, ''i.e.,'' [[MIL-STD-6011|TADIL A]] to TADIL B, or 
* links that are dissimilar, ''i.e.,'' [[MIL-STD-6011|TADIL A]] to [[MIL-STD-6016|TADIL J]].
More than one source notes that [[Router (computing)|routers]] and [[Network bridge|bridges]] can function as data forwarding devices.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Naugle |first=Matthew G. |title=The illustrated network book: a graphic guide to understanding computer networks |publisher=[[Van Nostrand Reinhold]] |year=1994 |isbn=978-0-442-01826-9 |series=VNR communications library |location=New York |page=285 |via=Internet Archive (hourly borrow)}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Naugle |first=Matthew G. |title=Local area networking |publisher=[[McGraw-Hill Companies]] |year=1996 |isbn=978-0-07-912256-8 |edition=2nd |series=McGraw-Hill series on computer communications |location=New York |page=291}}</ref>  Another source suggests, in fact, that [[Gateway (telecommunications)|gateways]] are a "special type of data-forwarding device".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Craft |first=Melissa |title=Faster smarter Network+ certification: take charge of the Network+ exam-- faster, smarter, better! |publisher=[[Microsoft Press]] |year=2003 |isbn=978-0-7356-1932-6 |location=Redmond, Wash |page=88 |via=Internet Archive (hourly borrow)}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Repeater]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
Most of the content arises from: {{FS1037C}}

[[Category:Telecommunications equipment]]


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