12-2 User’s Reference Guide

IPX address

An IPX address consists of a network number, a node number, and a socket number. An IPX network number is composed of eight hexadecimal digits. The network number must be the same for all nodes on a particular physical network segment. The node number is composed of twelve hexadecimal digits and is usually the hardware address of the interface card. The node number must be unique inside the particular IPX network. Socket numbers correspond to the particular service being accessed.

Socket

A socket in IPX is the equivalent of a port in TCP/IP. Sockets route packets to different processes within a single node. Novell has reserved several sockets for use in the NetWare environment:

Field Value

Packet Type

Description

 

 

 

 

 

 

00h

Unknown Packet Type

Used for all packets not clas-

 

 

sified by any other type

 

 

 

01h

Routing Information Packet

Unused for RIP packets

 

 

 

04h

Service Advertising Packet

Used for SAP packets

 

 

 

05h

Sequenced Packet

Used for SPX packets

 

 

 

11h

NetWare Core Protocol Packet

Used for NCP packets

 

 

 

14h

Propagated Packet

Used for Novell NetBIOS

 

 

 

Routing Information Protocol (RIP)

RIP, which was also derived from XNS, is a protocol that allows for the bidirectional transfer of routing tables and provides timing information (ticks), so that the fastest route to a destination can be determined. IPX routers use RIP to create and dynamically maintain databases of internetwork routing information. See the last section in this chapter for more information on routing tables.

Service Advertising Protocol (SAP)

SAP is a protocol that provides servers and routers with a method to exchange service information. Using SAP, servers advertise their services and addresses. Routers collect this information to dynamically update their routing tables and share it with other routers. These broadcasts keep all routers on the internetwork synchronized and provide real-time information on accessible servers on the internetwork.

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Netopia R3100 manual IPX address, Socket, Routing Information Protocol RIP, Service Advertising Protocol SAP