Packet gateway (PGW)
The core node that assigns the device IP address and exits data to the internet or a private network.
Definitions only — a term explained here is not a service we sell.
The packet data network gateway (PGW) is the node in the 4G core that connects a device's data session to an external network. It assigns the IP address and applies the routing and policy tied to the APN.
Why it matters
The PGW is where a mobile session becomes an IP session. The address a device gets, the path its traffic takes and the firewall it meets are all decided at this exit. In 5G the user plane function (UPF) takes the forwarding role.
Where data leaves the core
- Device
- Radio access (RAN)
- Transport
- Mobile core HSS / HLR · PGW / UPF · IMS
- Internet
Text description
The core holds the subscriber database and the gateway. The gateway is the last mobile node before the external network, so it is where addressing and policy are applied.
What to check
Confirm the APN, the address family and whether the address is static or dynamic. Ask where the PGW sits relative to the private network and whether the session is home routed when the device roams. The APN term explains the label that selects the gateway.