What are routers that belong to the same autonomous system (AS) called?

Routers that belong to the same autonomous system (AS) are referred to as interior neighbors. They operate within a single organization or administrative domain, which allows them to manage and share routing information more effectively. By communicating with one another, these routers facilitate efficient data transmission and ensure optimized routing paths within the internal network.

The distinction of interior neighbors is important in the context of routing protocols. These routers typically use interior gateway protocols (IGPs) like OSPF or EIGRP, which are designed to work within the confines of an autonomous system.

While there are other terms that describe various types of routers in networking, such as gateway routers, which act as a key point for traffic entering and leaving an AS, or peer routers, which may refer to routers that exchange routing information within the same level, interior neighbors specifically pertain to those routers that are part of the same AS and are engaged in internal routing processes. This shared environment enables faster route calculations and more cohesive network management.