Ethernet Routing Flow Chart
Introduction
Computer boots up
Computer learns its IP address
Computer learns its subnet mask
Computer learns its default gateway IP
address
Sometime later...
User sends data
Computer breaks data into packets
Packet arrives at NIC
NIC decides where to send the packet...
(now the flow chart begins)
Summary
If the destination IP address
is on the local network, the packet is sent to the MAC address of the local
host.
If the destination IP
address is on any remote network, the packet is sent to the MAC address of the
default gateway.
* * *