General Routing Question

[Ronald E. Davis]

Does a Routing Protocol (Rip, IGRP, OSPF, etc)just provide Information/Updates to a Router's routing database, so the Routers knows where to send a packet, or does it have any part in the actual transportation of the data (other than what a NIC does?
Better yet, can you point me to a reference that provides the answer to the question I am asking.
I think I know the answer but I would like to see it in writing if possible.
Thanks
Ron

[Andrew_4]

Nope... the routing protocols won't affect the routed protocols in any way other than affecting the route they take...

I can't find a link to explain this though !

Andrew

[Brian Hackley · Accepted solution]

Ronald,

The routing protocols typically are used to share routing information between routers and hosts. TCP/IP Network Administration by Craig Hunt (O'Reilly and Assoc). Also the following man pages are VERY informative routing(7), gated(1m), gated.conf(4), and route(1m).

Hope this helps,

-> Brian Hackley