10 The life of a packet

This chapter covers

  • A review of the processes involved in delivering a packet from source to destination
  • How switches forward frames
  • Address Resolution Protocol
  • How routers forward packets

The concepts we have covered so far—the TCP/IP model, frame switching, ARP, IPv4 addresses, routing, etc.—are fundamental concepts we will build upon in the rest of this book’s two volumes. In this chapter, we will review many of those concepts and see the role each plays in delivering a packet from the sending host to the packet’s intended destination.

This chapter is unique among the others in this book in that it does not cover new information; everything in this chapter has been covered in previous chapters. Instead of introducing new concepts, the goal of this chapter is to take the most important concepts from previous chapters and tie them all together into one coherent whole.

Figure 10.1 shows the network we will use for this chapter; we used the same when looking at routing in chapter 9. Figure 10.1 also summarizes the different processes involved in delivering a packet from PC1 to PC3: ARP, switching, routing, etc. We will review these processes throughout this chapter.

10.1 The life of a packet from PC1 to PC3

 
 

10.1.1 PC1 to R1

 
 

10.1.2 R1 to R2

 
 
 
 

10.1.3 R2 to R3

 
 

10.1.4 R3 to PC3

 
 
 

10.2 The life of a packet from PC3 to PC1

 

Summary

 
 
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