Purpose of Broadcasts

[asotmhg]

We have a wired network for our offices and a wireless network for our warehouse. All of the users on the wireless require a DHCP server. All of the office users have static IP addresses. The two networks are separated by a router. THe router is giving all of the wireless devices their IP addresses. Does broadcasts do our network any good on the wired side since we have static IP addresses?

 

[KiscoKid]

HI

I assume you mean broadcasts generated by all the DHCP Discovery packets generated by the wireless clients?

By default, routers don't typically forward forward broadcasts between IP subnets. They can be configured however to overcome this behaviour.

Hope this helps

 

[wybnormal]

You need to have broadcast traffic for a varity of reasons. The easiest reason is ARP. ARP is broadcast based and starts the process of filling your ARP cache with an IP address and a matching MAC address so you can talk to other nodes on the wire. Now, this is VERY simplistic but you get the idea I'm sure.

DHCP is another broadcast packet you will see on the wire. The inital "Where is the DHCP server?" is sent via a broadcast packet.

And the list goes on.

MikeS

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