A report on Routing and Network bridge

A high-level overview of network bridging, using the ISO/OSI layers and terminology

Bridging is distinct from routing.

- Network bridge

Routing, in a narrower sense of the term, often refers to IP routing and is contrasted with bridging.

- Routing

2 related topics with Alpha

Avaya ERS 2550T-PWR, a 50-port Ethernet switch

Network switch

1 links

Networking hardware that connects devices on a computer network by using packet switching to receive and forward data to the destination device.

A modular network switch with three network modules (a total of 24 Ethernet and 14 Fast Ethernet ports) and one power supply.

A 5-port layer-2 switch without management functionality

A couple of managed D-Link Gigabit Ethernet rackmount switches, connected to the Ethernet ports on a few patch panels using Category 6 patch cables (all equipment is installed in a standard 19-inch rack)

A network switch is a multiport network bridge that uses MAC addresses to forward data at the data link layer (layer 2) of the OSI model.

Some switches can also forward data at the network layer (layer 3) by additionally incorporating routing functionality.

Computer network

1 links

Set of computers sharing resources located on or provided by network nodes.

Fiber optic cables are used to transmit light from one computer/network node to another

2007 map showing submarine optical fiber telecommunication cables around the world.

Computers are very often connected to networks using wireless links

An ATM network interface in the form of an accessory card. A lot of network interfaces are built-in.

A typical home or small office router showing the ADSL telephone line and Ethernet network cable connections

The TCP/IP model and its relation to common protocols used at different layers of the model.

Message flows between two devices (A-B) at the four layers of the TCP/IP model in the presence of a router (R). Red flows are effective communication paths, black paths are across the actual network links.

Routing calculates good paths through a network for information to take. For example, from node 1 to node 6 the best routes are likely to be 1-8-7-6, 1-8-10-6 or 1-9-10-6, as these are the shortest routes.

Partial map of the Internet, based on the January 15, 2005 data found on opte.org . Each line is drawn between two nodes, representing two IP addresses. The length of the lines is indicative of the delay between those two nodes. This graph represents less than 30% of the Class C networks reachable.

Address resolution and routing are the means that allow mapping of a fully connected IP overlay network to its underlying network.

Apart from any physical transmission media, networks are built from additional basic system building blocks, such as network interface controllers (NICs), repeaters, hubs, bridges, switches, routers, modems, and firewalls.