Routing Protocols and

Concepts

Introduction to Routing and

Packet Forwarding
Chapter 1

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Review

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What will we Learn in chapter 1?

Identify a router as a computer with an OS and

hardware designed for the routing process.

Demonstrate the ability to configure devices and apply

addresses.

Describe the structure of a routing table.

Describe how a router determines a path and

switches packets

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Router as a Computer
Describe the basic purpose of a router
-Computers that specialize in sending packets over the data
network. They are responsible for interconnecting networks by
selecting the best path for a packet to travel and forwarding
packets to their destination

-Routers generally have 2 connections:

-WAN connection (Connection to ISP)
-LAN connection

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Router as a Computer
Data is sent in form of packets between 2 end devices
Routers are used to direct packets to a destination

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Router as a Computer
Routers examine a packets destination IP address and
determine the best path from the routing table

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Router as a Computer
Router components and their functions
CPU - Executes operating system instructions
Random access memory (RAM) - Contains the running copy of
configuration file. Stores routing table. Contents lost when power is off
Read-only memory (ROM) - Diagnostic software used when router is
powered up. Stores the routers bootstrap program.
Non-volatile RAM (NVRAM) - Stores startup configurations
Flash memory - Contains the operating system (Cisco IOS)
Interfaces - Used to connect network media
Interface types:
-Ethernet / fast Ethernet interfaces
-Serial interfaces
-Management interfaces

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Router as a Computer

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Router as a Computer
Major phases to the router
boot-up process
Test its hardware
Power-On Self Test
(POST)
Execute bootstrap
loader
Locate & load IOS
Bootstrap program looks for
configuration file or enters setup
mode

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Router as a Computer
Verify the router boot-up process:
-The show version command shows:
Platform model number
Image name & IOS version
Bootstrap version stored in ROM
Image file name & where it was loaded from
Number & type of interfaces
Amount of NVRAM
Amount of flash
Configuration register

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Router as a Computer

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Router as a Computer
Router Interface is a physical connector
Each interface connects to a separate network
Consist of socket or jack found on the outside of a router
Types of router interfaces:
-Ethernet
-Fastethernet
-Serial
-DSL
-ISDN
-Cable
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Router as a Computer
Router Interfaces
1) LAN Interfaces:

connect router to LAN network

Uses layer 2 MAC address
Uses Layer 3 IP address
RJ-45 jack (usually)

2) WAN Interfaces
connect routers to external networks that interconnect LANs.
layer 2 address may be used.
Uses a layer 3 IP address
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 Routers and the Network Layer

Routers IP address to forward packets
The path is determined from the routing table.
Packet is encapsulated into a frame
Frame is placed on network medium as Bits (0s,1s)

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 Routers Operate at Layers 1, 2 & 3

Router receives a stream of encoded bits at Layer 1
Bits decoded and go to layer 2
Router de-encapsulates the frame (removes frame info)
the packet passed up to layer 3
-Routing based on the destination IP address
Packet is re-encapsulated & sent out an outbound interface

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Implementing Basic Addressing Schemes

When designing a new network or mapping an existing
network you must provide the following information in
the form of a document:
-Topology - physical connectivity
Address table that provides:
Device name
Interfaces used
IP addresses
Default gateway

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Basic Router Configuration

A basic router configuration contains:
-Router name - should be unique
-Banner - warn against unauthorized use
-Passwords - Use strong passwords
-Interface configurations - Specify interface type, IP address
and subnet mask. Describe purpose of interface. Use
shutdown command. If DCE serial interface use clock rate
command.
After the basic configuration do the following:
-Verify basic configuration and router operations.
-Save the changes on a router (WR or copy run start

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 Verify Basic Router Configuration

-show running-config command sh run
-Save the configuration copy running-config startup-config
command (copy run start)
-Other router verifications:
Show running-config - Displays configuration in RAM
Show startup-config - Displays configuration file NVRAM
Show IP route - Displays routing table
Show interfaces - Displays all interface configurations
Show IP int brief - Displays abbreviated interface
configuration information

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Routing Table Structure

Routing Table is stored in ram and contains information
about:
Directly connected networks when a device is connected to
another router interface
Remotely connected networks - network that is not directly
connected to this router
Detailed information: source of information, network address &
subnet mask, and Ip address of next-hop router

Show ip route command to view a routing table

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 Adding a connected network to the routing table

-Router interfaces
Each router interface is a member of a different network
To activate no shutdown command
In order for static and dynamic routes to exist in routing table you
must have directly connected networks

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Routing Table Structure

Static routes in the routing table
-Includes: network address and subnet mask and IP address of
next hop router or exit interface
-Shown as code S in the routing table
-Routing tables must contain directly connected networks used
to connect remote networks before static or dynamic routing
can be used

When to use static routes

-When network only consists of a few routers
-Network is connected to internet only through one ISP
-Hub & spoke topology is used on a large network
-stub networks
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Routing Table Structure

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Routing Table Structure

Dynamic routing protocols
-Used to add remote networks to this routing table
-Are used to apprehend external network addresses
-Are used to update and maintain routing tables

Automatic network discovery

-Routers can discover new networks by sharing routing table
information

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Routing Table Structure

Maintaining routing tables
-Dynamic routing protocols are used to share routing information with other
routers & to maintain and up date their own routing table.

IP routing protocols:
-RIP
-IGRP
-EIGRP
-OSPF
-IS-IS

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 Routing Table Principles

-3 principles regarding routing tables:
Every router makes its decisions alone, based on the
information form its own routing table.
Different routing tables may contain different information
A routing table can tell how to get to a destination but not
how to get back

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Routing Table Structure

Effects of the 3 Routing Table Principles
-Packets are forwarded through the network from
one router to another, on a hop by hop basis.
-Packets can take path X to a destination but
return via path Y (Asymmetric routing).

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Router Paths and Packet Switching

Internet Protocol (IP) packet format contains fields that
provide information about the packet and the sending
and receiving hosts
Importance Fields:
-Destination IP address
-Source IP address
-Version & TTL
-IP header length
-Packet length
-Precedence & type of service

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Router Paths and Packet Switching

MAC Layer Frame Format
MAC Frames are also divided into fields. They include:
-Preamble
-Start of frame delimiter
-Destination MAC address
-Source MAC address
-Type/length
-Data and pad
-Frame check sequence

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Router Paths and Packet Switching

A Metric is a numerical value used by routing protocols to help determine
the best path to a destination
The smaller the metric value the better the path

2 types of metrics:
-Hop count - the number of routers a packet travels through to get to its
destination
-Bandwidth - this is the speed of a link also known as the data
capacity of a link

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 Equal cost metric - when a router has multiple paths to the same
destination that all have the same metric
To solve this dilemma, a router will use Equal Cost Load
Balancing - the router sends packets equally over the multiple exit
interfaces listed in the routing table.

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 Path determination is a process used by a router to pick the best

path to a destination
3 path determinations results from searching for the best path
Directly connected network
Remote network
No route determined

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Router Paths and Packet Switching

Switching Function is the process used by a router to
switch a packet within the router from an incoming
interface to an outgoing interface
-A packet received by a router will :
Strips off layer 2 headers.
Examines destination IP address located in Layer 3
header and find best route to destination.
Re-encapsulate layer 3 packet into layer 2 frame.
Forwards the frame out exit interface.

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Router Paths and Packet Switching

As a packet travels from one networking device to another
-The Source and Destination IP addresses NEVER change
-The Source & Destination MAC addresses CHANGE as packet is
forwarded from one router to the next.
-TTL field decrement by one until a value of zero is reached at
which point router discards packet (prevents packets from
endlessly traversing the network)

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Router Paths and Packet Switching

Path determination and switching function details. PC1
Wants to send something to PC 2 here is part of what
happens
Step 1 - PC1 encapsulates packet into a frame. Frame
contains R1s destination MAC address

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Router Paths and Packet Switching

Step 2 - R1 receives Ethernet frame.
R1 sees that destination MAC address matches its own
MAC.
R1 then strips off Ethernet frame.
R1 Examines destination IP.
R1 consults routing table looking for destination IP.
After finding destination IP in routing table, R1 now looks up
next hop IP address.
R1 re-encapsulates IP packet with a new Ethernet frame.
R1 forwards Ethernet packet out Fa0/1 interface.

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Router Paths and Packet Switching

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 Path determination and switching function details. PC1 Wants to

send something to PC 2 here is part of what happens
Step 3 - Packet arrives at R2
R2 receives Ethernet frame
R2 sees that destination MAC address matches its own
MAC
R2 then strips off Ethernet frame
R2 Examines destination IP
R2 consults routing table looking for destination IP
After finding destination IP in routing table, R2 now looks up
next hop IP address
R2 re-encapsulates IP packet with a new data link frame
R2 forwards Ethernet packet out S0/0 interface

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Path determination and switching function details. PC1 Wants to

send something to PC 2 here is part of what happens
Step 4 - Packet arrives at R3
R3 receives PPP frame
R3 then strips off PPP frame
R3 Examines destination IP
R3 consults routing table looking for destination IP
After finding destination IP in routing table, R3 is directly
connected to destination via its fast Ethernet interface
R3 re-encapsulates IP packet with a new Ethernet frame
R3 forwards Ethernet packet out Fa0/0 interface
Step 5 - IP packet arrives at PC2. Frame is decapsulated &
processed by upper layer protocols.

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What did I Learn from Chapter 1

Routers are computers that specialize in sending data over a network.
Routers are composed of:
-Hardware i.e. CPU, Memory, System bus, Interfaces
-Software used to direct the routing process
IOS
Configuration file
Routers need to be configured. Basic configuration consists of:
-Router name
-Router banner
-Password(s)
-Interface configurations i.e. IP address and subnet mask
Routing tables contain the following information
-Directly connected networks
-Remotely connected networks
-Network addresses and subnet masks
-IP address of next hop address
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What did I learn from chapter 1 cont

Routers determine a packets path to its destination by
doing the following
Receiving an encapsulated frame & examining destination
MAC address.
If the MAC address matches then Frame is de-encapsulated
so that router can examine the destination IP address.
If destination IP address is in routing table or there is a static
route then Router determines next hop IP address. Router will
re-encapsulate packet with appropriate layer 2 frame and send
it out to next destination.
Process continues until packet reaches destination.
Note - only the MAC addresses will change the source and
destination IP addresses do not change.
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