Detection of a relative location of a network device using a multicast packet processed only by hubs

摘要

Within a network, which includes hubs and bridges, the relative location of a first device with respect to a subset of hubs on the network is determined. In response to an instruction, the first device broadcasts a multicast packet. The multicast packet crosses bridges and is processed only by hubs. When a hub receives the multicast packet from the first device, the hub records a first port of the hub over which the second device received the multicast packet. The subset of hubs may then be interrogated to determine over which port of each of the subset of hubs the multicast packet was received.