Section 1 - Introduction - Black Box Series 5000 Reference Manual

This product provides IP and IPX routing combined with a protocol transparent bridge. This bridge/router combination is
often the best solution to linking remotely located LANs where most of the traffic is IP or IPX with smaller amounts of
traffic from other protocols such as NetBIOS or DEC LAT.
The P1700 series routers support the widely implemented Routing Information Protocol, otherwise known as RIP. RIP
support allows the router to interoperate with other vendors' routers.
The router will operate as delivered, providing increased LAN performance directly out of the box without the need for
complex pre-configuration. However, in those situations where specific customization is required, an easy-to-use "hotkey"
menuing Bridge/Router Manager console provides access to LAN and Link statistical information, and control of the
network configuration.
With increased LAN and Link management capability, you will be able to detect LAN and Link problems, determine
utilization patterns, and plan for future expansion that will optimize your existing data-communication resources.
The router can be thought of as a group of discrete functions combined in a single box. The first functional module is the
LAN interface, which receives all LAN traffic and then decides where individual frames should be sent: to the IP router, to
the IPX router, to the bridge, to the management system, or discarded altogether. After the LAN interface there are several
functional units including the IP router, the IPX router, the bridge, and the management system. Any traffic that these
modules need sent across a link is then forwarded to the link modules, which control data coming and going on the WAN
ports. The following figure illustrates the relationships between the various component modules in a router.
The router menu system provides a method to control whether IP & IPX traffic is routed through the router modules, or
bridged through the bridge module along with all other bridged data.
IP Routing
The router may be used to route only between subnets within the same network, or between different networks.
Network broadcasts sent within a subnet-routed environment will not be forwarded to the other subnets in the network.
The procedure for establishing an IP connection through an IP router is explained on the next few pages.
LAN Interface
Module
Figure 1 - 1 Router Block Diagram
Section 1 — Introduction
IP Router
Module
IPX Router
Module
Bridge
Module
Management
Module
2
Link #1
Module
Link #2
Module