What results when a router's routing information is outdated but it still receives data packets?

When a router's routing information is outdated but it continues to receive data packets, the result is typically packet loss and inefficiency. Outdated routing information means that the router may not have the most current pathways to forward the incoming data packets effectively. Consequently, packets can be sent to incorrect destinations or even dropped if there are no valid routes available in the routing table at the time of transmission.

This situation can lead to increased latency as the router struggles to process packets that it can’t properly route. Additionally, packets may be retransmitted from the source due to timeouts or errors, which adds further inefficiency to the network. In summary, when routing information is not current, the overall performance of the network can degrade significantly, leading to problems such as packet loss, longer delivery times, and inefficient use of network resources.