Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!rutgers!ucla-cs!zen!ucbvax!AI.AI.MIT.EDU!JBVB
From: JBVB@AI.AI.MIT.EDU ("James B. VanBokkelen")
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: Re: EtherTalk broadcast invasion
Message-ID: <305731.880101.JBVB@AI.AI.MIT.EDU>
Date: 1 Jan 88 17:05:53 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The ARPA Internet
Lines: 12

As it stands, I see it as an excelent argument for IP routers in the great
router vs. bridge debate.  From what you say, it appears that you can't
have more than 250 MACs using EtherTalk anywhere in your bridged Ether,
and if you have even a hundred, people will notice.  Presumably the 8-bit
node ID is *really* built-in, even if the 20 broadcasts in less than a
second aren't?  Or, do they do it quickly because the defense protocol
breaks down when two nodes try to defend the same address at the same
time?  Whichever, I assume that it won't be long before they lose a big
order because of it, and set some engineers to work on inserting a slightly
more global world-view.

jbvb