Configuring Packet Bridging
Configuring bridged connections
MAX 6000/3000 Network Configuration Guide 14-7
Bridge Adrs parameters
If a Connection profile does not use the dial upon broadcast feature (that is, if Dial
Brdcast=No), the connection must have a bridge table entry in order for the MAX to be able to
bring up the connection on demand. The Bridge Adrs profile defines a bridge table entry by
specifying an Ethernet address, a network address, and a connection number.
The Enet Adrs parameter specifies the physical Ethernet address (MAC address) of a device at
the remote end of the link. The Bridge Adrs profile correlates a remote MAC address with a
Connection profile number, enabling the MAX to bring up that connection when it receives
packets destined for the remote device. Each bridge table entry specifies an Ethernet (node)
address that is not on the local segment. For details about Ethernet addresses, see “Physical
addresses and the bridge table” on page 14-2.
The Net Adrs parameter specifies the IP address of a device at the remote end of the link. If
you are bridging between two segments of the same IP network, you can use the Net Adrs
parameter in a Bridge Adrs profile to enable the MAX to respond to ARP requests while
bringing up the bridged connection. If an ARP packet contains an IP address that matches the
Net Adrs parameter of a Bridge Adrs profile, the MAX responds to the ARP request with the
Ethernet (physical) address specified in the Bridge Adrs profile and brings up the specified
connection. In effect, the MAX acts as a proxy for the node that actually has that address. (For
more information, see “Configuring proxy mode on the MAX” on page14-16.)
The Connection # parameter specifies the number of the Connection profile needed to bring up
a bridged or routed connection. The MAX uses this number to locate the profile and bring up
the connection needed to forward packets whose destination address is not on the local
network. You associate Bridge Adrs profiles with one Connection profile, which the MAX
uses to bring up the connection to the specified node address. To specify a Connection profile,
note its menu-item number in the Connections menu, then enter the unique portion of that
number as the value for the Connection # parameter.