A router is a networking device that forwards data packets between computer networks and uses IP addresses to connect different networks. Routers use either static or dynamic routing, with static using manually configured routes and dynamic using routing protocols to determine the best paths. Common routing protocols include RIP, EIGRP, OSPF, IS-IS, and BGP, which are classified by their purpose, operation, and addressing scheme. Major router manufacturers include Cisco, D-Link, MikroTik, Juniper, and LinkSys. Network simulation tools allow testing of routing configurations without live hardware and include Cloonix, CORE, GNS3, IMUNES, Marionnet, Netkit, Psimulator 2, and Packet