provider edge router

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{{MPLS diagram}}

A provider edge router (PE router) is a router between one network service provider's area and areas administered by other network providers.{{cite web |url=https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4364 |title=BGP/MPLS IP Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) |website=IETF Tools |publisher=IETF |access-date=2019-11-13}} A network provider is usually an Internet service provider as well (or only that).

The term PE router covers equipment capable of a broad range of routing protocols, notably:

• Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) (PE to PE or PE to CE communication)
• Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) (PE to CE router communication)
• Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) (CE to PE (ingress eLSR) or PE to CE (egress eLSR),{{cite web |url=https://www.ciscopress.com/articles/article.asp?p=426645&seqNum=3 |title=A Network Administrator's View of Multiservice Networks |publisher=Cisco Press |date=9 December 2005}}{{cite web |url=https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/ios-xml/ios/mp_ias_and_csc/configuration/xe-3s/mp-ias-and-csc-xe-3s-book/mp-carrier-ldp-igp.html |title=MPLS VPN Carrier Supporting Carrier Using LDP and an IGP |date=4 April 2014}} also PE to P (and visa versa))

PE routers do not need to be aware of what kind of traffic is coming from the provider's network, as opposed to a P router that functions as a transit within the service provider's network. However, some PE routers also do labelling.