What is a Brouter primarily known for?

A Brouter, or bridge-router, is specifically recognized for its capability to perform functions of both a bridge and a router. This dual functionality allows it to connect different network segments while also routing data between them effectively.

As a bridge, a Brouter can filter traffic at the data link layer, allowing it to help reduce collision domains and improve network performance by managing local traffic. It also has routing capabilities that operate at the network layer. This means it can direct packets to their destination across different networks—something that a standard bridge cannot do.

This combination makes Brouters particularly useful in networks that require both bridging to handle local traffic efficiently and routing to connect to wide area networks (WANs) or other network segments. Consequently, this versatility in network management is what distinguishes Brouters from other devices that have more limited functionality.