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Section 3.6: Enabling and Configuring Network Bridge

Network Bridge allows you to connect LAN segments, groups of networked computers, without having to use routers or bridges. Network Bridge allows you to connect different types of network media. Before Network Bridge, if you were using more than one media type, you needed a different subnet for each media type. Packet forwarding would be required because different protocols are used on different media types. Network Bridge automates the configuration that is required to forward information from one media type to another.

Network Bridge uses the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Spanning Tree Algorithm (STA). STA provides an automated mechanism to ensure that the forwarding topology is loop free. You do not have to do any configuration to configure Network Bridge for STA.

To configure Network Bridge:

• On the Start menu, click MY computer
• Click MY NETWORK PLACES
• Then click view network connections. Windows XP Professional displays the Network Connections window.
• Under LAN or High-Speed Internet, select each of the private network connections that you want to make part of the bridge.
• Right-click one of the selected private network connections, and then click bridge CONNECTIONS.