What should an end host forward a packet to when sending it to a destination in a different network?

When an end host needs to send a packet to a destination that resides in a different network, it must forward that packet to the default gateway. The default gateway serves as an intermediary device that allows communication between the host's local network and other networks, such as the internet or remote networks. The default gateway typically has an IP address that is assigned to the host, and it is responsible for routing packets destined for outside the local subnet.

When the end host determines that the destination IP address is not in its local subnet (which is established through network mask calculations), it recognizes that it cannot directly reach the destination. Therefore, it encapsulates the packet and sends it to the default gateway, which then takes responsibility for further routing the packet toward its destination.

This process is crucial in networking since it allows devices on one network to communicate with devices on another, essentially bridging different networks together, which is fundamental for the vast connectivity that modern networking offers.