In a router, where are the routes to network destinations stored?

In a router, where are the routes to network destinations stored?

• A. DNS cache of domain name mappings
• B. MAC address table
• C. routing table
• D. ARP cache

Answer: (C)

Routing decisions in a router are made using the routing table. The routing table contains destination network prefixes, the next-hop or exit interface to reach those networks, and metrics that help choose among multiple paths. When a packet arrives, the router finds the most specific match for the destination IP (the longest-prefix match) and forwards the packet toward the indicated next hop or out the specified interface. This table is built from static routes you configure or from dynamic routing protocols that learn routes from neighbors. The other caches and tables serve different purposes: the ARP cache maps IP addresses to MAC addresses on the local network to deliver frames locally; the MAC address table on a switch associates MAC addresses with switch ports for layer-2 forwarding; the DNS cache stores domain name to IP mappings for name resolution, not for routing decisions.

Routing decisions in a router are made using the routing table. The routing table contains destination network prefixes, the next-hop or exit interface to reach those networks, and metrics that help choose among multiple paths. When a packet arrives, the router finds the most specific match for the destination IP (the longest-prefix match) and forwards the packet toward the indicated next hop or out the specified interface. This table is built from static routes you configure or from dynamic routing protocols that learn routes from neighbors. The other caches and tables serve different purposes: the ARP cache maps IP addresses to MAC addresses on the local network to deliver frames locally; the MAC address table on a switch associates MAC addresses with switch ports for layer-2 forwarding; the DNS cache stores domain name to IP mappings for name resolution, not for routing decisions.