RoutingPrinciples

Routing is the process of determining a message path from source to target (which are not directly connected) using multiple other hosts in the middle. Low level network communication is usually point to point and does know routing. Therefor higher level protocols need to be established -- routing protocols.

Many objectives lead to different routing mechanisms serving different ranges of application. This article will discuss the routing principles, the basic protocols, which are basis for many other optimized and specific protocols.

While Distance Vector and Link State Routing serve to show these principles, Destination-Sequenced Distance-Vector Routing is an example for a more specific, Ad-Hoc Network oriented implementation.