Routed Mode Essentials
![key_topic_icon.jpg](/content/images/chap4_9780136589709/elementLinks/key_topic_icon.jpg)
In routed mode, a threat defense acts like a Layer 3 hop. Each interface on a threat defense can be connected to a different subnet, and the threat defense can act as the default gateway for that subnet. The threat defense can also route traffic between different subnets, like a Layer 3 router.
Figure 4-1 shows how a host interacts with a threat defense as its next Layer 3 hop. In routed mode, each threat defense interface connects to a unique subnet.
![FIGURE 4-1](/content/images/chap4_9780136589709/elementLinks/04fig01.jpg)
FIGURE 4-1 Communication of a Host with a Threat Defense in Routed Mode