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Chapter 4: Software Description
Figure 4-19. 802.1x statistics screen.
4.1.8 IGMP Snooping
IGMP Snooping is the process of listening to IGMP network traffic. IGMP
Snooping, as implied by the name, is a feature that allows a layer 2 switch to
“listen in” on the IGMP conversation between hosts and routers by processing the
layer 3 IGMP packets sent in a multicast network.
When IGMP Snooping is enabled in a switch it analyzes all IGMP packets between
hosts connected to the switch and multicast routers in the network. When a
switch hears an IGMP report from a host for a given multicast group, the switch
adds the host’s port number to the multicast list for that group. And, when the
switch hears an IGMP leave, it removes the host’s port from the table entry.
It also prevents flooding of IP multicast traffic, and limits bandwidth intensive
video traffic to only the subscribers.
IGMP Configuration
• IGMP Enabled: When enabled, the switch will monitor network traffic to
determine which hosts want to receive multicast traffic.
• Router Ports: Set if ports are connecting to the IGMP administrative routers.
• Unregistered IPMC Flooding enabled: Set the forwarding mode for unregistered
(not-joined) IP multicast traffic. The traffic will flood when enabled, and forward
to router ports only when disabled.
• IGMP Snooping Enabled: When enabled, the port will monitor network traffic
to determine which hosts want to receive the multicast traffic.
