January 9, 2009

How do routing tables exactly work?

January 09th 2009 Posted to tables
bate d asked:


I know the general concept of routing tables, but it is still a mystery to me how they work. Where exactly is the table stored? And how does the router determine the route of a packet when there are so many hosts on the internet. It is just not possible to place all of those hosts in every routing table….so how does the router determine where to send the packet to?

Scott
Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
  • Digg
  • Bumpzee
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Furl
  • Mixx
  • NewsVine
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • YahooMyWeb
  • Google

Comments

  1. Tacit Knowledge
    January 11th, 2009 | 1:44 pm

    I forgot the specifics but the principle is that the router has some internal memory which has a matrix (table) that pairs workstations with IP addresses. Wait…not IP address…ethernet? The one that identifies you within a hard network or virtual network.

    Packets have information “encapsulated” inside of them that identify where they go (and where they come from, so that the user can send stuff back). The router opens the packet, reads whats inside, and sends it back on its way to the intended workstation.

  2. Bryan
    January 12th, 2009 | 9:48 pm

    The host will send its routing table when it sends out request to the ip address is it is kinda confusing and your router does not know where it sends out request to find where it sends out request to find where host is stored in its mac address and sorry if confused you more.
    The router will send its ip address but if confused you more.
    An arp request the message to the router and sorry if confused you more.
    The router and sorry if confused you more.