Final answer:
When a router finds a match for the destination IP address in its routing table, it forwards the packet towards its destination. The routing table guides the router in directing traffic accurately across networks.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the router matches the destination IP address with a matching network contained in the routing table, it will forward the packet accordingly. This process is fundamental to network routing and allows the router to direct data packets to their correct destination across various networks.
When a data packet arrives at a router, the router inspects the packet's destination IP address. It then looks through its routing table to find the best match for this IP address. If a matching network is found, the router forwards the packet to the next hop on its path to the destination. If no match is found, the router may drop the packet or send it to a default gateway.