Re: [Autoconf] Closing summary on consensus-call for RFC5889modifications

[Alexandru Petrescu <[e-mail]>]

Le 26/08/2010 14:31, Teco Boot a écrit :
> Alex,
>
> You could take some time for research, on hosts having a routing
> table. Take a start with host requirements (RFC 1122): |  As an
> extra feature, a host IP layer MAY implement a table |  of "static
> routes".

Ah well spot.  In practice that is actually a MUST - every IP stack has
a table of routes, be it ran by Hosts or by Routers.  There's no IP
stack without routing table.

This is one reason why I think it's difficult to identify a Host which
is not a Router, nor a Router which is not a Host.

Probably one could call a Host a Host if it does more TCP instructions
during 1 second, than routing instructions.

Alex

>
> Teco
>
> Op 25 aug 2010, om 18:03 heeft Alexandru Petrescu het volgende
> geschreven:
>
>> Le 25/08/2010 15:21, Teco Boot a écrit :
>>> Alex,
>>>
>>> Your statement is not accurate. You say: "A router with
>>> [whatever] is a router to. Would someone doubt on that?
>>
>> Right, a router is a router - always valid.
>>
>> A "machine" with static routes is a router too.
>>
>>> If you intended to say:
>>>> A node with static routes (no routing protocol messages) is a
>>>> router too.
>>>
>>> This is definitely not true. Every host may have static routes.
>>
>> Right.  That's why I tend to accept that there are no Hosts in this
>> world and they're all routers, because they all execute longest
>> prefix match searches in their routing tables, they all have at
>> least two interfaces (lo is one), they all have entries in their
>> routing tables.
>>
>> They're all routers, Hosts don't exist.
>>
>>> I call a node a router if it: - may forward packets; - may send
>>> routing protocol packets; - may send router advertisements.
>>>
>>> Reworded: a host - may not forward packets; - may not send
>>> routing protocol packets; - may not send router advertisements.
>>
>> Ah "may" makes it impossible to really distinguish.
>>
>>> I have device here on my desk. It is called a Wireless-N Home
>>> Router. I use it as WiFi AP, Ethernet switch and DHCP server. I
>>> don't use it for forwarding packets, because on the yellow
>>> marked port it does some nasty NAPT operations, which I can't use
>>> in my setup. Shall I bring it back to the shop, and ask for a
>>> Wireless-N Home Host?
>>
>> HA haha!!  I doubt shop vendor understands "Host" because s/he
>> never sells Hosts to anyone!  S/he could sell Routers, Switches,
>> Desktops, Servers ; or it could Host your website if you wish.
>> But never sell you a Host.  Who sells Hosts?
>>
>>> It: - may forward packets, but I disabled it; - may send routing
>>> protocol packets, but I disabled it; - may send router
>>> advertisements, but I doubt if it supports IPv6.
>>
>> But that Access Point does have routing table entries, does
>> execute the longest prefix match algorithm, hence it's a Router.
>>
>>> By the way, if I use packet forwarding, NAPT and MAC NAT, it
>>> acts as a host on the Internet port.
>>
>> In a sense.  What do you mean it "acts as a Host on the Internet
>> port"? What does NAPT does as algorithm, data structures, which a
>> Router does not, on the Internet port?
>>
>>> Providers can't detect it is a router, it is all hidden. Powerful
>>> feature, for where providers don't allow routers connected to
>>> their networks.
>>
>> Hmm...
>>
>> I think also, as you say, that it is good to distinguish it based
>> on sending RA or NA: if it sends RA then it's a Router, otherwise
>> it's a Host; but disabling RAs on a Router doesn't make it a Host
>> :-) - it makes it an IPv4 Router (another Router :-)
>>
>> Alex
>>
>>>
>>> Teco
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Op 25 aug 2010, om 12:05 heeft Alexandru Petrescu het volgende
>>> geschreven:
>>>
>>>> Le 25/08/2010 10:41, Dearlove, Christopher (UK) a écrit :
>>>>> It's running the routing protocol, and not just listening to
>>>>> it, but engaging actively in it - sending necessary routing
>>>>> protocol messages. It's a router.
>>>>
>>>> And a router doesn't necessarily have to run a dynamic routing
>>>> protocol.  A router with static routes (no routing protocol
>>>> messages) is a router too.
>>>>
>>>> Alex
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>
>>
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