Re: [Sheflug] igmp packets...... it's getting worse....

[Richard Stevenson <nospam [at] team.xtra.co.nz>]

On Wed, 22 Nov 2000, Jim Jackson wrote:

> correct - and remember a switch is just a multiport bridge :-)
> If the switch/bridge knows which port a MAC address is then Unicast packets
> are only sent down that port. If it hasn't a clue it broadcasts the packet to
> all ports. Broadcast packets go to all ports. Some switches are intelligent
> with multicast packets and attempt to do intelligent things like only send
> multicast groups down ports that it has seen join requests for etc. Simple
> switches just broadcast multicast packets.

And of course, to get the best out of a switch you need to manage it
properly.  I've seen places where they networked 300 PCs with a *lot* of
24-port 3Com switches, and everything just got broadcasted everywhere.  Of
course, that network was designed by M$ bigots instead of people who had
some experience with computers and/or networks...  if you're not going to
use the right equipment and manage it properly, you might as well just use
a bunch of hubs strung together with thinwire.

Cheers

Richard


-- 
Richard Stevenson, Systems Support Specialist, Telecom Xtra
Phone: +64 9 355 5231   Mobile: +64 25 290 3101   Pager: +64 26 100 155

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