NETGEAR GS752TP, GS728TPP manual Multicast, Mfdb Table

GS752TP, GS728TP, and GS728TPP Gigabit Smart Switches

Multicast

Multicast IP traffic is traffic that is destined to a host group. The class D addresses identify the host groups for IPv4 multicast, which range from 224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255. The prefix ff00::/8 identifies the host groups for IPv6 multicast.

From the Multicast menu, you can access features described in the following sections:

•MFDB

•Auto-Video Configuration

•IGMP Snooping

•IGMP Snooping Querier

•MLD Snooping

•Static Multicast Address

MFDB

The switch uses the Layer 2 Multicast Forwarding Database (MFDB) to make forwarding decisions for packets that arrive with a multicast destination MAC address. By limiting multicast transmissions only to certain ports in the switch, traffic is prevented from going to parts of the network where that traffic is unnecessary.

When a packet enters the switch, the destination MAC address is combined with the VLAN ID, and a search is performed in the Layer 2 Multicast Forwarding Database. If no match is found, the packet is either flooded to all ports in the VLAN or discarded, depending on the switch configuration. If a match is found, the packet is forwarded only to the ports that are members of that multicast group.

Use the MFDB Table to view the port membership information for all active Multicast address entries. The key for an entry consists of a MAC address. Entries can contain data for more than one protocol.

From the MFBD link, you can access the following screens:

•MFDB Table

•MFDB Statistics

MFDB Table

The Multicast Forwarding Database (MFDB) holds the port membership information for all active multicast address entries.

The key for an entry consists of a VLAN ID and MAC address pair. Entries can contain data for more than one protocol.

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