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20-3
Catalyst 2950 and Catalyst 2955 Switch Software Configuration Guide
OL-10101-02
Chapter 20 Configuring IGMP Snooping and MVR
Understanding IGMP Snooping
An IGMPv3 switch can receive messages from and forward messages to a device running the Source
Specific Multicast (SSM) feature. For more information, see the “Configuring IP Multicast Layer 3
Switching” chapter in the Catalyst 4500 Series Switch Cisco IOS Software Configuration Guide, Cisco
IOS Release 12.1(12c)EW at this URL:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/lan/catalyst4500/12.1/12ew/configuration/guide/mcastmls.html
Joining a Multicast Group
When a host connected to the switch wants to join an IP multicast group, it sends an unsolicited IGMP
join message, specifying the IP multicast group to join. Alternatively, when the switch receives a general
query from the router, it forwards the query to all ports in the VLAN. Hosts wanting to join the multicast
group respond by sending a join message to the switch. The switch CPU creates a multicast
forwarding-table entry for the group if it is not already present. The CPU also adds the interface where
the join message was received to the forwarding-table entry. The host associated with that interface
receives multicast traffic for that multicast group. See
Figure 20-1.
Figure 20-1 Initial IGMP Join Message
Router A sends a general query to the switch, which forwards the query to ports 2 through 5, all members
of the same VLAN. Host 1 wants to join multicast group 224.1.2.3 and multicasts an IGMP membership
report (IGMP join message) to the group with the equivalent MAC destination address of
0x0100.5E01.0203. When the CPU receives the IGMP report multicast by Host 1, the CPU uses the
information in the IGMP report to set up a forwarding-table entry, as shown in
Table 20-1, that includes
the port numbers of Host 1, the router, and the switch internal CPU.
Forwarding
table
CPU
Host 1 Host 2 Host 3 Host 4
Router A
IGMP report 224.1.2.3
VLAN
PFC
1
0
2345
45750
Ta b l e 20-1 IGMP Snooping Forwarding Table
Destination Address Type of Packet Ports
0100.5exx.xxxx IGMP 0
0100.5e01.0203 !IGMP 1, 2