Introduction to IP Routing
Routing is the basic element of data communication networks. It is the process of selecting paths on a network along which packets are sent from a source to a destination.
- Network segment route: The destination is a network segment. The subnet mask of an IPv4 destination address is less than 32 bits or the prefix length of an IPv6 destination address is less than 128 bits.
- Host route: The destination is a host. The subnet mask of an IPv4 destination address is 32 bits or the prefix length of an IPv6 destination address is 128 bits.
- Direct route: The router is directly connected to the network where the destination is located.
- Indirect route: The router is indirectly connected to the network where the destination is located.
- Unicast route: The destination address is a unicast address.
- Multicast route: The destination address is a multicast address.