Ipx Protocol Overview; Ipx Address Structure - 3Com MSR 50 Series Configuration Manual

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IPX Protocol Overview

IPX Address Structure

IPX RIP
IPX C
ONFIGURATION
When configuring IPX, go to these sections for information you are interested in:
"IPX Protocol Overview" on page 2217
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"Configuring IPX Basic Functions" on page 2219
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"Configuring IPX Routing" on page 2219
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"Configuring IPX SAP" on page 2221
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"Configuring the IPX Forwarding Feature" on page 2224
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"Pinging an IPX Network" on page 2225
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"Displaying and Maintaining IPX Configuration" on page 2225
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"IPX Configuration Example" on page 2225
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"Troubleshooting IPX Configuration" on page 2227
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Internetwork Packet Exchange (IPX) is a network layer protocol of NetWare. Its
position in NetWare is similar to IP's position in TCP/IP. It implements such
functions as address filling, routing and packet forwarding.
IPX is a connectionless protocol. Though both data and the destination IPX address
are included in an IPX packet, IPX does not confirm whether the packet is
forwarded successfully. Such functions as confirmation of forwarding success and
connection control are provided by the protocol at the layer above IPX. Any IPX
packet is considered an independent entity that is not related to any other IPX
packets logically or sequentially.
The IPX address structure differs from IP. An IPX address consists of the network
address and node address, in the format: network.node.
The network address, with a length of 4 bytes and expressed by an 8-digit
hexadecimal identifies the physical network where the site lies.
The node address identifies a node in the network and has the same structure as
MAC address and has a length of 6 bytes. It is input as three parts of two-byte
digits separated by "-" and it cannot be a broadcast or multicast address.
For example, in the IPX address bc.0-Kb-47, the network address is bc (more
accurately, it is 000000bc) and the node address is 0-cb-47 (more accurately, it is
0000-00cb-0047). Therefore, an IPX address can also be expressed in the form of
N.H-H-H, in which N is the network address and H-H-H is the node address.
IPX employs Routing Information Protocol (RIP) to maintain and advertise dynamic
routing information.