wiltzius@lll-lcc.UUCP (Dave P. Wiltzius) (05/17/89)
I'm currently in a discussion with two vendors (who shall remain nameless); one makes a brouter and another sells a network management software package. The software not only recognizes 802.3 format packets (and not "Ethernet") but also - get this - sets the multicast bit in the MAC level source address. Unfortunately, the brouter notices this and drops the packet. I know at least one bridge that will *learn* the multicast address (which could result in defeating that multicast address - I didn't check). I would like the brouter to be a bit more lenient (i.e. forward the packet as appropriate but don't learn the multicast source address) and the software vendor to fix the code (let "Blue Book" Ethernet - type field in bytes 12-13 be supported, not just 802.3 - length in bytes 12-13 . . .) and don't set that multicast bit in the source address. Could people send me the names of LAN software that they have found that puts a multicast/broadcast in the MAC level source address? I know of two, and one was just recently fixed. Thanks much. Dave Wiltzius (wiltzius@lll-lcc.llnl.gov) Lawrence Livermore Nat'l Lab