Re: [lwip-devel] Bridge Implementation

[address@hidden]

Joel Cunningham wrote:
> > Some bridge implementation use either a randomly
> > generated one or the one of the first added interface.

That's a strange implementation I also found in linux. I guess it's 
because it allows end users to create a bridge. End users typically 
don't have a MAC address to supply to the bridge.

In our world, an 8-port switch implementing e.g. LLDP that has also has 
an IP address (e.g. for SNMP) should have 9 MAC addresses:
one for each port (no IP running there) and 1 for the 9th (virtual) port 
running an IP stack. Actually you can think of it as a 9 port switch 
where the 9th port
is only connected internally to a management IC.

The difference of the 9th port is that it can receive traffic from all 
ports, configure the switch (i.e. its forwarding database) and send 
either to a dedicated port or letting the switch logic select the 
destination port.

Simon