A network reffers two more connected computers that can share resources such as data, a printer, an internet connection, applications or a combinitaion of these resources.
Internetworking is the process or technique of connecting different networks by using intermediary devices such as routers or gateway devices.
Internetworking ensure data communication among networks owned and operated by different entities using a data communication and the internet routing protocol.
- Local Area Network (LAN)
- Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
- Wide Area Newtwork (WAN)
A LAN (local area network) is a group of computers and network devices connected together, usually within the same building. By definition, the connections must be high speed and relatively inexpensive
A MAN (metropolitan area network) is a larger network that usually spans several buildings in the same city or town. The IUB network is an example of a MAN.
A WAN (wide area network), in comparison to a MAN, is not restricted to a geographical location, although it might be confined within the bounds of a state or country. A WAN connects several LANs, and may be limited to an enterprise (a corporation or an organization) or accessible to the public.
An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. An IP address serves two principal functions: host or network interface identification and location addressing.
There are two parts in an ip address.
- Network Bits
- Host Bits
A subnet mask is a 32- or 128-bit number that segments an existing IP address in a TCP/IP network and divides that address into discrete network and host addresses.
When divide an ip address as network bit and host, it deifnes the network bits and host bits.
Subnetting is the strategy used to partition a single physical network into more than one smaller logical sub-networks (subnets).
Supernetting is the opposite of Subnetting. In subnetting, a single big network is divided into multiple smaller subnetworks. In Supernetting, multiple networks are combined into a bigger network termed as a Supernetwork or Supernet.
- When multiple networks are combined to form a bigger network, it is termed as super-netting.
- Super netting is used in route aggregation to reduce the size of routing tables and routing table updates.
Routing is a process which is performed by layer 3 (or network layer) devices in order to deliver the packet by choosing an optimal path from one network to another.
There are 3 types of routing*
Static routing is a process in which we have to manually add routes in routing table.
- Configuration becomes complex as the network size increases.
- Topology changes are not dynamically learned. Therefore, requires the intervention of the network engineer to make changes.
- Much suited for smaller networks.
- It is lot more secure than dynamic protocols as it is a user defined route rather than a dynamically learned route.
- Does not require a great deal of CPU, memory and bandwidth.
- This is a static entry and does not change. Therefore, it is always predictable.
- No routing overhead for router CPU which means a cheaper router can be used to do routing.
- It adds security because only administrator can allow routing to particular networks only.
- No bandwidth usage between routers.
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For a large network, it is a hectic task for administrator to manually add each route for the network in the routing table on each router.
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The administrator should have good knowledge of the topology. If a new administrator comes, then he has to manually add each route so he should have very good knowledge of the routes of the topology.
Routing Information Protocol (RIP) is a dynamic routing protocol which uses hop count as a routing metric to find the best path between the source and the destination network.
| RIP V1 | RIP V2 |
|---|---|
| 1. Sends update as broadcast | 1. Sends update as multicast |
| 2. Broadcast at 255.255.255.255 | 2. Multicast at 224.0.0.9 |
| 3. Doesn’t support authentication of update messages | 3. Supports authentication of RIPv2 update messages |
| 4. Classful routing protocol | 4. Classless protocol, supports classful |