RIP Distance Vector Routing Protocol

Hello Sameer

RIP requests are only sent under special circumstances, when a router requires that it be provided with immediate routing information. The most common example of this is when a router is first powered on. After initializing, the router will typically send an RIP Request on its attached networks to ask for the latest information about routes from any neighboring routers. The only other situation in which RIP requests are sent is when they are to be used for diagnostic purposes.

So yes, it is rare to find requests.

Responses on the other hand are sent either as a direct result of a request, or unsolicited every 30 seconds as you mentioned. So you are correct when you say that in order to capture requests, it is an issue of timing, being able to capture the packet at the time of RIP initialization.

You can attempt to keep your sniffer on during the enabling of RIP on your routers, thus instigating a RIP request.

I hope this has been helpful!

Laz

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