Path determination occurs at the network layer. Path determination enables a router to compare the destination address to the available routes in its routing table, and to select the best path. The routers learn of these available routes through static routing or dynamic routing. Routes configured manually by the network administrator are static routes. Routes learned by others routers using a routing protocol are dynamic routes.

The router uses path determination to decide which port an incoming packet should be sent out of to travel on to its destination. This process is also referred to as routing the packet. Each router that the packet encounters along the way is called a hop. The hop count is the distanced traveled. Path determination can be compared to a person driving a car from one location in a city to another. The driver has a map that shows the streets that can be taken to get to the destination, just as a router has a routing table. The driver travels from one intersection to another just as a packet travels from one router to another in each hop. At any intersection, the driver can route himself by choosing to turn left, turn right, or go straight ahead. In the same manner, a router decides which outbound port the packet should be sent.

The decisions of a driver are influenced by factors such as traffic on a road, the speed limit of the road, the number of lanes on the road, whether or not there is a toll on the road, and whether or not the road is frequently closed. Sometimes it is faster to take a longer route on a smaller, less crowded back street instead of a highway with a lot of traffic. Similarly, routers can make decisions based on the load, bandwidth, delay, cost, and reliability of a network link.

The following process is used during path determination for every packet that is routed:

• The destination address is obtained from the packet.
• The mask of the first entry in the routing table is applied to the destination address.
• The masked destination and the routing table entry are compared.
• If there is a match, the packet is forwarded to the port that is associated with that table entry.
• If there is not a match, the next entry in the table is checked.
• If the packet does not match any entries in the table, the router checks to see if a default route has been set.
• If a default route has been set, the packet is forwarded to the associated port. A default route is a route that is configured by the network administrator as the route to use if there are no matches in the routing table.
• If there is no default route, the packet is discarded. Usually a message is sent back to the sending device indicating that the destination was unreachable.

Interactive Media Activity Drag and Drop: Path Determination Flowchart After completing this activity, the student will be able to understand the detailed path determination process.

   

Web Links Routing Basics http://www.ictglobal.com/ICT009/ routing_basics.html