| 摘要 |
A method (and system) of creating a multicast packet by a source node in a world-wide network, includes providing each multicast packet with a predetermined indicator indicating that the packet includes a multicast packet, one of a plurality of multicast destinations being placed in a packet destination field and a list of remaining multicast destinations being provided in a packet header. A conventional router receiving a multicast packet handles it as a unicast packet and routes it in a conventional manner. A multicast-capable router receiving a multicast packet goes through a packet regeneration and routing process, creating multicast packets and/or unicast packets and then routing them using the conventional routing table. A destination node receiving a multicast packet goes through the packet regeneration and forwarding process, creating a multicast or unicast packet depending on the number of destinations in the received multicast packet and bouncing back the regenerated packet to the router to which the node is attached.
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