SmartSwitch Router User Reference Manual 33
Chapter 2
Bridging
Configuration
Guide
Bridging Overview
The SmartSwitch Router provides the following bridging functions:
• Complies with the IEEE 802.1d standard
• Complies with the IGMP multicast bridging standard
• Provides wire-speed address-based bridging or flow-based bridging
• Provides the ability to logically segment a transparently bridged network into virtual
local-area networks (VLANs) based on physical ports or protocol (IP or IPX or bridged
protocols like Appletalk)
• Allows frame filtering based on MAC address for bridged and multicast traffic
• Provides integrated routing and bridging, which supports bridging of intra-VLAN
traffic and routing of inter-VLAN traffic
Spanning Tree (IEEE 802.1d)
Spanning tree (IEEE 802.1d) allows bridges to dynamically discover a subset of the
topology that is loop-free. In addition, the loop-free tree that is discovered contains paths
to every LAN segment.
