A Comparative Evaluation of Classless Routing Protocols (EIGRP) and Classful Routing Protocols (RIP)

The Classful routing protocol does not carry the subnet mask information in its routing table. RIP version 1 (Routing Information Protocol) is a Classful routing protocol, this was the Internet's first widely used routing protocol in networks. RIP is useful for local and medium size networks. The RIP is known as a distance-vector routing protocol, which works in the hop count as a routing metric, The RIP allowed 15 no’s maximum hops counts. The 16th hop count is considered as infinite distance viewing such distance as unreachable and undesirable route in it routing process. The RIP operates the limited size of the networks. The Classless routing protocol can carry the subnet mask information, Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP) is an advanced distance-vector routing protocol, Classful routing protocol designed by Cisco Systems. EIGRP is an enhanced version of old routing protocol, as IGRP (Interior Gateway Routing Protocol). EIGRP supports VLSM and CIDR allowing network designers to maximize address space. EIGRP is based on distance vector and link-state algorithms. This paper consist of advantages of classless (EIGRP) routing protocol over Classful routing Protocol (RIP). This includes the various trouble resolving techniques and traffic handling techniques during communication in simple as well in bulky networks.