Routing and Switching

James Jefferson S. De Vera

Routing Concepts
What is Routing?
 What is Routing?

● Routing is the process of selecting paths in a network to

send data from source to destination.
● It's like a GPS for data packets, determining the most
efficient routes for information to travel.
● Routers are devices that perform this crucial function in
computer networks.
 Key Concepts in Routing

● Routers: These devices analyze

and forward data packets based
on their destination addresses.
● Routing Tables: Routers
maintain tables of possible
routes and their associated
costs or metrics.
 Key Concepts in Routing

● Routers: These devices analyze

and forward data packets based
on their destination addresses.
● Routing Tables: Routers
maintain tables of possible
routes and their associated
costs or metrics.
 Key Concepts in Routing

● Routers: These devices analyze

and forward data packets based
on their destination addresses.
● Routing Tables: Routers
maintain tables of possible
routes and their associated
costs or metrics.
 Key Concepts in Routing
● Routing Protocols: These are sets of
rules routers use to communicate and
share information about the network's
topology and the best available paths.
● Algorithms: Routing algorithms, such as
Dijkstra's algorithm or the Bellman-Ford
algorithm or Link-state algorithm, are
used to calculate the optimal routes
based on various factors like distance,
bandwidth, and congestion.
 Key Concepts in Routing
● Routing Protocols: These are sets of
rules routers use to communicate and
share information about the network's
topology and the best available paths.
● Algorithms: Routing algorithms, such as
Dijkstra's algorithm or the Bellman-Ford
algorithm or Link-state algorithm, are
used to calculate the optimal routes
based on various factors like distance,
bandwidth, and congestion.
 Examples of Routing

Home Networks: Your

Wi-Fi router at home
uses routing to direct
traffic between your
devices and the internet.
 Examples of Routing

Mobile Networks: Cell phone calls

and data use routing to connect your
phone to the nearest cell tower and
then through the wider mobile
network.
 Examples of Routing

Package Delivery: Logistics

companies use routing algorithms
to optimize the delivery of
packages to different addresses,
minimizing travel time and cost.
Primary Functions of
a Router
 Primary Functions of a Router

A router is a networking device

that connects two or more
networks together and forwards
data packets between them. In the
image, the router is the central
device, connecting two switches
and multiple hubs, which then
connect to individual devices.
 Key functions of a router

Packet Forwarding: This is

the core function of a router.
It receives data packets from
one network and forwards
them to the appropriate next
hop based on the destination
address and routing table.
 Key functions of a router

Packet Forwarding: This is

the core function of a router.
It receives data packets from
one network and forwards
them to the appropriate next
hop based on the destination
address and routing table.
 Key functions of a router
Routing: Routers determine the
best path for data packets to travel
across networks. They use routing
protocols, such as RIP (Routing
Information Protocol) or OSPF
(Open Shortest Path First), to
exchange routing information with
other routers and build routing
tables.
 Key functions of a router
Network Address
Translation (NAT): NAT
allows multiple devices on a
private network to share a
single public IP address. This
conserves public IP
addresses and enhances
security by hiding internal
network addresses.
 Key functions of a router
Firewall: Many routers include
built-in firewalls that provide
basic security features like
packet filtering and access
control lists (ACLs) to protect
networks from unauthorized
access.
 Key functions of a router

Quality of Service (QoS):

QoS enables routers to
prioritize specific types of
network traffic, such as
voice or video, to ensure
they receive adequate
bandwidth and minimal
latency.
 Key functions of a router

Virtual Private Network

(VPN): Some routers
support VPN functionality,
allowing secure remote
access to private networks
over the internet.
Encapsulation and
De-encapsulation
 Encapsulation

Encapsulation is the process of adding headers to a data

packet as it moves down the layers of a network model, like
the TCP/IP model. Think of it as wrapping a gift: you start
with the gift itself (the data), then add layers of wrapping
paper (the headers) until it's ready to be sent. Each layer
adds a specific type of header, containing information
relevant to that layer's function.
 TCP/IP Model
The TCP/IP model is the most common framework for understanding
network communication. It consists of four layers:
1. Application Layer: Deals with user-level applications (e.g., email,
web browsing).
2. Transport Layer: Ensures reliable data delivery between
applications.
3. Network Layer: Responsible for addressing and routing packets
across networks.
4. Link Layer: Handles the physical transmission of data on a
network.
 Encapsulation Process

1. Application Layer: Adds a header that identifies the

application protocol being used (e.g., HTTP, SMTP).
2. Transport Layer: Adds a header that provides information for
reliable data delivery (e.g., TCP port numbers, sequence
numbers).
3. Network Layer: Adds a header that includes source and
destination IP addresses for routing.
4. Link Layer: Adds a header that contains source and
destination MAC addresses for local network delivery.
 Example: Sending an Email

1. Application Layer: The email client adds an email header (e.g.,

To, From, Subject).
2. Transport Layer: A TCP header is added to ensure reliable
delivery and split the email into segments if necessary.
3. Network Layer: An IP header is added to each TCP segment,
specifying the sender's and recipient's IP addresses.
4. Link Layer: An Ethernet header is added to each IP packet,
including the sender's and recipient's MAC addresses.
 De-Encapsulation

De-encapsulation is the reverse process of encapsulation. As

a data packet travels up the layers of the TCP/IP model at the
receiving end, each layer removes its corresponding header,
revealing the data intended for that specific layer. This allows
each layer to process the information relevant to its function.
 De-Encapsulation Process
1. Data Link Layer: Removes the Ethernet header, which contains
source and destination MAC addresses. The remaining data is
passed to the Network layer.
2. Network Layer: Removes the IP header, which contains source and
destination IP addresses. The remaining data is passed to the
Transport layer.
3. Transport Layer: Removes the TCP or UDP header, which provides
information about error correction, flow control, and port numbers. The
remaining data is passed to the Application layer.
4. Application Layer: Interprets the data according to the specific
application protocol (e.g., HTTP for webpages, SMTP for emails) and
presents it to the user.
 Example: Receiving an Email

1. Data Link Layer: The email arrives at your computer's network

interface card (NIC), which removes the Ethernet header.
2. Network Layer: The NIC passes the remaining data to the operating
system's network stack, which removes the IP header.
3. Transport Layer: The TCP header is removed, ensuring the email
was delivered reliably and in the correct order.
4. Application Layer: Your email client (e.g., Outlook, Gmail)
interprets the email data, displaying the message, sender, subject,
and other relevant information.
Verifying
Connectivity
 Verifying Connectivity Using Ping Command

The ping command is a fundamental network

utility used to test connectivity between two
devices. It works by sending small packets of data
called "echo requests" to a target device (like a
website or another computer). The target device
then responds with "echo replies."
How Ping Works:
1. Initiating the Ping: You enter the ping command followed by the
target device's IP address or domain name (e.g., "ping
www.google.com").
2. Echo Requests: Your device sends out a series of ICMP (Internet
Control Message Protocol) echo request packets to the target.
3. Echo Replies: The target device receives these echo requests and
sends back ICMP echo reply packets.
4. Measuring Round Trip Time (RTT): The ping command measures
the time it takes for each echo request to travel to the target and
for the echo reply to return. This time is called the Round Trip
Time (RTT) and is usually measured in milliseconds (ms).
Ping Output:
The ping command output typically shows:
1. Destination: The IP address or domain name of the
target device.
2. Packet Size: The size of each echo request packet.
3. Time (TTL): The Time-To-Live value, indicating how
many network hops the packet can take before being
discarded.
4. Round Trip Time (RTT): The time it took for each echo
request/reply round trip.
Example:
Key Uses of Ping:

•Troubleshooting Network Issues: Ping helps diagnose

problems like connection failures, high latency, or packet loss.
•Testing Network Reachability: It confirms whether a
particular device or website is online and reachable.
•Monitoring Network Performance: Ping can be used to
continuously monitor the RTT to a target, providing insights
into network stability and speed.