Address tracking over repeater based networks

摘要

A system is provided for use in a network to provide authentication of packets of data, provide security to ensure the prevention of unauthorized receipt of data, to provide improved monitoring of the packets of data transmitted and received over such a network, and to detect changes in the network topology. Repeaters utilized in the network are provided with the capability to detect and interpret packet data and the source address (SA) and destination address (DA) fields to provide the improved features.