Route - Planet GRT-101 User Manual

G.SHDSL Bridge/Router
GRT-101/401/402 User's Manual
STP (Spanning-Tree Protocol) defined in the IEEE 802.1D, is a link management protocol that
provides path redundancy while preventing undesirable loops in the network. For an Ethernet
network to function properly, only one active path can exist between two stations.
Multiple active paths between stations cause loops in the network. If a loop exists in the
network topology, the potential exists for duplication of messages. When loops occur, some
switches see stations appear on both sides of the switch. This condition confuses the
forwarding algorithm and allows duplicate frames to be forwarded.
To provide path redundancy, Spanning-Tree Protocol defines a tree that spans all switches in
an extended network. Spanning-Tree Protocol forces certain redundant data paths into a
standby (blocked) state. If one network segment in the Spanning-Tree Protocol becomes
unreachable, or if Spanning-Tree Protocol costs change, the spanning-tree algorithm
reconfigures the spanning-tree topology and reestablishes the link by activating the standby
path.
Spanning-Tree Protocol operation is transparent to end stations, which are unaware whether
they are connected to a single LAN segment or a switched LAN of multiple segments. RSTP
(Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol) defined in the IEEE 802.1w can be seen as an enhancement
of the 802.1D standard. Most parameters have been left unchanged so users familiar with
802.1D can quickly configure the new protocol. In most cases, RSTP performs better than
STP.

4.6 Route

If the Router is connected to more than one network, it may be necessary to set up a static
route between them. A static route is a pre-determined pathway that network information must
travel to reach a specific host or network.
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