RIP / RIP routing process

RIP 

RIP routing process 

7.2.1
This page will provide an overview of the RIP routing process.
The modern open standard version of RIP, which is sometimes referred to as IP RIP, is formally detailed in two separate documents. The first is known as Request for Comments (RFC) 1058 and the other as Internet Standard (STD) 56.
RIP has evolved over the years from a Classful Routing Protocol, RIP Version 1 (RIP v1), to a Classless Routing Protocol, RIP Version 2 (RIP v2). RIP v2 enhancements include the following:

• Ability to carry additional packet routing information
• Authentication mechanism to secure table updates
• Support for variable-length subnet mask (VLSM)

To prevent indefinite routing loops, RIP implements a limit on the number of hops allowed in a path from a source to a destination. The maximum number of hops in a path is 15. When a router receives a routing update that contains a new or changed entry, the metric value is increased by 1 to account for itself as a hop in the path. If this causes the metric to be higher than 15, the network destination is considered unreachable. RIP includes a number of features that are common in other routing protocols. For example, RIP implements split horizon and holddown mechanisms to prevent the propagation of incorrect routing information.
The next page will teach students how to configure RIP.