Master Network Routing Protocols
Learn the fundamentals of routing protocols, router architecture, and network
communication in just 12 slides. Perfect for networking students and entry-
level engineers!
Router Architecture
Fundamentals
Input Ports
Receive packets from incoming links, perform basic error checking and
lookup operations
Routing Processor
Control plane that maintains routing table and runs routing protocols
Switching Fabric
Internal hardware (crossbar, bus, or mesh) that transfers packets
between ports
Output Ports
Store outgoing packets in queues and transmit them to destination
networks
Routing Table Structure
The routing table is a critical data structure that stores network path
information for packet forwarding decisions.
Destination Next Hop Interface Metric
Network
[Link]/2 [Link] Fa0/0 1 hop
4
[Link]/8 [Link] Fa0/1 3 hops
Each entry contains the destination network, next hop router IP, outgoing
interface, and cost metric for optimal path selection.
Understanding Network
Queueing
When packets arrive faster than they can be forwarded, they wait in queues.
Different queueing strategies optimize network performance.
FIFO Queueing
1 First In First Out - simple but can cause delays for time-
sensitive traffic
Priority Queueing
2 Higher priority traffic like VoIP is processed before regular data
packets
Weighted Fair Queueing
3 Provides fair distribution of bandwidth among multiple network
flows
Switching Methods Explained
Packet Switching
Most common method used in IP networks. Packets are forwarded
independently through the switching fabric based on destination
addresses.
Circuit Switching
Reserved path method traditionally used in telephone networks.
Creates dedicated connection for entire communication session.
Virtual Circuit
Hybrid approach combining benefits of both packet and circuit
switching for specific network requirements.
Types of Routing Protocols
Routing protocols are categorized based on their scope and operational
domain within network infrastructures.
Intra-domain Routing
Used within a single Autonomous System (AS)
RIP (Routing Information Protocol)
OSPF (Open Shortest Path First)
EIGRP (Enhanced IGRP)
Inter-domain Routing
Used between different Autonomous Systems
BGP (Border Gateway Protocol)
Connects ISPs and major networks
Handles Internet-scale routing
Distance Vector Routing
Routers share their complete routing tables with neighbors periodically,
making routing decisions based on hop count distance metrics.
01
Initialization
Each router knows routes to directly connected networks only
02
Sharing
Routers periodically send their routing tables to immediate neighbors
03
Updating
Router updates its table when it discovers shorter paths through neighbors
RIP Example: Uses hop count metric (max 15), UDP port 520,
updates every 30 seconds, supports VLSM and CIDR
Link State Routing (OSPF)
Each router builds a complete network topology using Link State Advertisements
(LSAs) and applies Dijkstra's shortest path algorithm.
Point-to-Point Link
Direct connection between two routers without intermediate devices
Transit Network
Multi-access networks like Ethernet with multiple attached routers
Stub Network
Network segment with only one router attached, no transit traffic
Virtual Link
Logical connection through transit area to maintain backbone connectivity
OSPF uses IP protocol 89 and divides networks into areas for scalability, with Area 0
as the backbone.
BGP: Internet's Routing
Protocol
Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) version 4 connects Autonomous Systems
across the Internet using path vector routing.
AS Numbers
Each Autonomous System receives unique ASN for identification in
global routing
Path Vector Routing
Routers share entire AS path sequence instead of just distance
metrics
Loop Prevention
BGP prevents routing loops by checking AS-Path for router's own AS
number
Policy-Based Routing
Route selection based on policies and business relationships, not just
metrics
BGP uses TCP port 179 and is essential for Internet Service Provider
connectivity and global routing decisions.
ICMP: Network Diagnostics
Internet Control Message Protocol provides error reporting and diagnostic
capabilities for IP networks, carried inside IP packets using protocol number
1.
Error Reporting Messages Query Messages
Destination Unreachable Echo Request & Reply (ping)
Time Exceeded (TTL expired) Timestamp Request & Reply
Parameter Problem Router Advertisement
Redirect messages Router Solicitation
Source Quench (obsolete)
ICMP Message Structure
All ICMP messages follow a standardized format with specific fields for type
identification, error detection, and payload data.
Field Size Purpose
Type 8 bits Defines message kind (0=Echo
Reply, 8=Echo Request)
Code 8 bits Subtype specification for the
message
Checksum 16 bits Error detection for message
integrity
Header + Data Variable Message-specific content and
payload
Ping Example: Echo Request uses Type=8, Code=0, with Identifier
and Sequence number for packet tracking
Master Network Routing!
You've learned router architecture, routing protocols (RIP, OSPF, BGP), and
ICMP diagnostics. These fundamentals are essential for network engineering
success.
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