SMC Networks SMC7204BRA manual Configuring IP Routes, Overview of IP Routes

CONFIGURING IP ROUTES

You can use the Configuration Manager to define specific routes for your Internet and network data. This section describes basic routing concepts and provides instructions for creating routes.

Note: Most users do not need to define IP routes.

Overview of IP Routes

The essential challenge of a router is: when it receives data intended for a particular destination, which device should it send that data to? When you define IP routes, you provide the rules that a computer uses to make these decisions.

IP routing versus telephone switching

IP routing decisions are similar to those made by switchboards that handle telephone calls.

When you dial a long distance telephone number, you are first connected to a switchboard operated by your local phone service carrier. All calls you initiate go first to this main switchboard.

If the phone number you dialed is outside your calling area, the switchboard opens a connection to a higher-level switchboard for long distance calls. That switchboard looks at the area code you dialed and connects you with another switchboard that serves that area. This new switchboard, in turn, may look at the prefix in the number you dialed (the middle set of three numbers) and connect to a more localized switchboard that handles numbers with that prefix. This final switchboard can then look at the last four digits of the phone number to open a connection with the person or company you dialed.

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