[dpdk-dev] l2fwd application - packets not getting forwarded

[Richardson, Bruce]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: dev [mailto:dev-bounces at dpdk.org] On Behalf Of Raj Ravi
> Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2014 6:35 PM
> To: dev at dpdk.org
> Subject: Re: [dpdk-dev] l2fwd application - packets not getting forwarded
> 
> Is there any requirement to modify l2fwd appliucation with updated mac
> address to make it work ?
> 
> In one example, it is mentioned something similar.
> www.slideshare.net/hisaki/intel-dpdk-step-by-step-instructions
> 
> 
> Also, in order to make ping work it is necessary to add static entry
> for those IP addresses ?
> 
> Please let me know. Thanks,
> 
Hi,

In terms of using ping: the Intel DPDK works below the IP level, and the basic l2fwd sample app has no concept of an IP address or what an ICMP ping message is, so you won't get a proper ping reply out of the application as there is no IP stack to reply. What it will do, its take the ping message and forward it out a different port.

As for the more basic question of receiving packets on the NIC, normally, yes, you would need to set the destination mac address of your packets to match that of the NIC port, but in this case I believe the l2fwd app switches the port to promiscuous mode so it should receive all packets sent to it. [Other sample apps often need a "-P" flag passed to them to do this.] 

Regards,
/Bruce