A gateway connects one network or communication arrangement to another. In a typical home setup, the default gateway is the router a device uses for destinations outside its local network. Reaching that gateway and reaching a remote media service are different stages, so a working local connection does not establish complete internet or service access.
A practical example
A television can communicate with the home router while the router's internet connection is unavailable. Its network menu may therefore show a local connection even though the player cannot fetch a remote playlist, guide or media segment from the service.
A common misunderstanding
Do not replace the gateway address with a public DNS address. Routing traffic outward and resolving names are separate jobs, even when one router provides access to both functions.
Related terms
Stable technical definition. Editorial approach