Introduction

For detailed information, hover over each of the three types above.

Distance Vector

Distance Vector routing protocols send out periodic updates which contain the enter routing table. This is deemed to be 'passable' for a small-size network, however this method adds inefficiencies to the network.

Each update consists of everything the router knows about the network, itself, and it's neighbours. It's much like being introduced to someone on Monday and explaining all the details of your life, then once you seem them Tuesday, you do the same, also adding any changes that happened over night.

An example of a Distance Vector protocol is the Routing Information Protocol (RIP).

Link State

Link State routing protocols only send out updates when there is a change in the devices knowledgebase. These transmissions are therefore asynchronous, unlikeDistance Vectory.

The updates will only send out what has changed within the table, rather than the whole table itself - allowing more efficient transmissions over the network.

An example of a Link State protocol is Open Shortest Path First (OSPF).

Hybrid

Hybrid routing protocols utilise some of the advantages Distance Vector routing protocols such as the metrics. Much like Link State protocols, they send information asynchronously, only when there's an update, and only what's changed.

An example of a Hybrid protocol is Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP)