3Com CoreBuilder 2500, User Manual

Page: 78 / 244

6-8 C
HAPTER
6: R
OUTING WITH
IPX
Each router interface has a network address. This address defines the
network number to which the router interface is attached. The router
interface’s IPX address serves two functions:
■
It is used when IPX packets are sent to or from the router.
■
It defines the network number of the segment that is connected to
the interface.
Routing Tables A routing table collects information about all intranetwork segments. This
table allows a router to send packets toward their destinations over the
best possible routes.
The table contains an entry for every network number that the router
knows about. The router uses this information when the router is not
directly connected to a packet’s destination network. The routing
information table provides the address of another router that
can forward
the packet toward its destination.
The routing table consists of the following elements:
■
Interface — The interface number of the router that is used to reach
a network segment
■
Addresses — The network segments that the router knows about
■
Hops to network — The number of routers that must be crossed to
reach a network segment
■
Ticks to network — An estimate of the time in seconds necessary to
reach a network segment
■
Node — The node address of the router that can forward packets to
each network segment. When this element is set to all 0 s, the router is
directly connected)
■
Aging timer — The time in seconds since the network’s last update