Patent ID: 6175875
Filing Date: 2001-01-16
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A repeater for use in a computer network for providing communication between a plurality of network devices connected to the repeater, in which network communication is conducted by way of data frames of preset format, the repeater comprising:a plurality of ports to which network devices may be connected;means for receiving incoming unicast data frames and multicast data frames to any one of said ports and for retransmitting them via at least one of the other ports during a time interval that before the respective data frame has been completely received, each said unicast data frame including a single identification of its intended destination and each multicast data frame including a group identification of network devices in the network;means for storing information which for each of a plurality of group identifications, denotes a corresponding subset of said ports to each of which a network device in said group is connected;means for reading at least a portion of a received data frame and determining whether that frame has one of said plurality of group identifications; andmeans responsive to said information for corrupting the frame in retransmission via ports other than those in said corresponding subset.