A few years back, I had a problem configuring a new tower. It had a central RB450 router distributing to three sector enclosures powered by RB711s, all sharing the same IP range. The 711s were getting wacky times via SNTP because they were apparently receiving time correction packets multiple times. This was despite the use of RSTP and unique admin MACs on the port bridges on the 711s. On someone's advice, I switched from using the hardware switch chip on the 450 to using a software bridge, and the packet replication problem went away. So as far as I'm concerned there is still some black magic difference between them.
On Feb 5, 2014, at 8:36 AM, Craig Baird <[email protected]> wrote: > I don't think that's right. What you're defining is a hub (repeating > everything out every port). MT bridges do learn. In general networking > terms, a switch is considered to be a multiport bridge. In the MT world, > I've always assumed the difference between switching and bridging to be as > Stephen said. Switching is done in hardware, while bridging is done in > software. But as far as basic function goes, I think they're very similar. > I think bridging gives you more knobs and levers to manipulate things, due to > it being done in software. > > Craig > > > Quoting Scott Reed <[email protected]>: > >> Bridge and switch on MT are not the same thing. >> Switch , implemented in hardware as you note, once it discovers the port to >> use for a MAC address, it only sends data for that MAC out that port. >> Bridge is in software and can be very slow. I doubt that they do any MAC >> detection, just send all the data out all the ports. By definition a bridge >> does nothing but redistribute the data. >> >> On 2/4/2014 8:24 PM, Stephen Wong wrote: >>>> From my 2 cents of understanding, ethernet bridge and switch is the same >>> thing! Just in the good old days, we had 2-port bridge and now, we have >>> multi-port switch. I know, the 'switch' in a Mikrotik means the switching >>> fabric is implemented in hardware chips and bridge means the logic is >>> implemented by software. But other than performance difference (wire speed >>> vs as-fast-as-your-box-can-go), both are Layer 2 devices to work on MAC >>> addresses. >>> >>> Stephen WONG >>> >>> >>> On Wed, Feb 5, 2014 at 2:00 AM, <[email protected]>wrote: >>> >>>> Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2014 18:46:35 +0000 >>>> From: Paul McCall <[email protected]> >>>> Subject: Re: [Mikrotik] Bridge Ports showing with an S on version 6.7 >>>> To: Mikrotik discussions <[email protected]> >>>> Message-ID: >>>> <[email protected]> >>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >>>> >>>> +1 on the distinctive letter .... thinking a "B" for bridge? Naaah... >>>> that would make too much sense >>>> :) >>>> >>>> >>> -------------- next part -------------- >>> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... >>> URL: >>> <http://mail.butchevans.com/pipermail/mikrotik/attachments/20140205/2d90c7d5/attachment.html> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Mikrotik mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> http://mail.butchevans.com/mailman/listinfo/mikrotik >>> >>> Visit http://blog.butchevans.com/ for tutorials related to Mikrotik RouterOS >>> >>> >>> ----- >>> No virus found in this message. >>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >>> Version: 2014.0.4259 / Virus Database: 3684/7058 - Release Date: 02/03/14 >>> >>> >> >> -- >> Scott Reed >> Owner >> NewWays Networking, LLC >> Wireless Networking >> Network Design, Installation and Administration >> Mikrotik Advanced Certified >> www.nwwnet.net >> (765) 855-1060 (765) 439-4253 Toll-free (855) 231-6239 >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Mikrotik mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://mail.butchevans.com/mailman/listinfo/mikrotik >> >> Visit http://blog.butchevans.com/ for tutorials related to Mikrotik RouterOS >> >> > > > > _______________________________________________ > Mikrotik mailing list > [email protected] > http://mail.butchevans.com/mailman/listinfo/mikrotik > > Visit http://blog.butchevans.com/ for tutorials related to Mikrotik RouterOS _______________________________________________ Mikrotik mailing list [email protected] http://mail.butchevans.com/mailman/listinfo/mikrotik Visit http://blog.butchevans.com/ for tutorials related to Mikrotik RouterOS
