Brouters are bridge/router hybrid devices that offer the best capabilities of both devices in one unit. Brouters are actually bridges capable of intelligent routing and therefore are used as generic components to integrate workgroup networks . The bridge function filters information that remains internal to the network and is capable of supporting multiple higher-level protocols at once. The router component maps out the optimal paths for the movement of data from one point on the network to another.

Since the brouter can handle the functions of both bridges and routers, as well as bypass the need for the translation across application protocols with gateways, the device offers significant cost reductions in network development and integration.