default gateway
compound.compound. the main door or path that your computer uses to connect to other networks, like the internet. If your computer doesn't know where to send data, it sends it here first.
compound. the network node that serves as an access point to another network when no other route is specified for a destination IP address. It acts as an intermediary, forwarding traffic from a local subnet to external networks.
You need to check the default gateway if you cannot reach the internet.
When setting up the office router, the technician had to manually enter the default gateway so the computers could communicate with the external server.
In most home networking environments, the router's internal IP address serves as the default gateway, handling all outbound requests that are not destined for local devices.
A compound of the computing sense of default, denoting a preselected option in the absence of an alternative, and gateway, a term used in telecommunications since the 1970s for a node connecting disparate networks.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Commonly used in the context of TCP/IP networking; often abbreviated to 'gateway' in casual technical conversation.
Last updated July 22, 2026