3Com 4007, Implementation Manual, Page: 512 / 684

512 C
HAPTER
20: IPX R
OUTING
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Source network — A 4-byte field that contains the source node
network number. If a sending node sets this field to 0, the source’s
local network number is unknown.
■
Source node — A 6-byte field that contains the source node, physical
address. Broadcast addresses are not allowed.
■
Source socket — A 2-byte field that contains the socket address of
the process that transmitted the packet.
■
Packet data — A field that contains information for upper-layer
network processes.
IPX Packet Delivery
Successful packet delivery depends both on proper addressing and on the
network configuration. The packet’s Media Access Control (MAC)
protocol header and IPX header address handle packet addressing.
The sending node must have the destination’s complete network address,
including the destination network, node, and socket. After the sending
node has the destination address, it can address the packet.
However, the way the IPX packet’s MAC header is addressed depends on
whether a router separates the sending and destination nodes.