23

Multicast

23.1 Overview

This chapter shows you how to configure various multicast features.

Traditionally, IP packets are transmitted in one of either two ways - Unicast (1 sender to 1 recipient) or Broadcast (1 sender to everybody on the network). Multicast delivers IP packets to just a group of hosts on the network.

IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol) is a network-layer protocol used to establish membership in a multicast group - it is not used to carry user data. Refer to RFC 1112, RFC 2236 and RFC 3376 for information on IGMP versions 1, 2 and 3 respectively.

23.1.1What You Can Do

Use the Multicast Status screen (Section 23.2 on page 194) to view multicast group information.

Use the Multicast Setting screen (Section 23.3 on page 195) to enable IGMP snooping to forward group multicast traffic only to ports that are members of that group.

Use the IGMP Snooping VLAN screen (Section 23.4 on page 198) to Configure how the Switch learns multicast group membership information and add VLANs upon which the Switch is to perform IGMP snooping.

Use the IGMP Filtering Profile screen (Section 23.5 on page 199) to specify a range of multicast groups that clients connected to the Switch are able to join.

Use the MVR screens (Section 23.1.2.1 on page 192) to create multicast VLANs and select the receiver port(s) and a source port for each multicast VLAN.

23.1.2What You Need to Know

Read on for concepts on Multicasting that can help you configure the screens in this chapter.

 

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GS2200-24 User’s Guide