• A unicast packet has a single source IP address and a single destination IP address.A multicast packet has a single source IP, but it has a multicast destination IP address that will be delivered to a group of receivers.
  • In Multicast multiple hosts can receive the same multicast stream (instead of individual streams) to save bandwidth.
  • Internet Group Management Protocol or, IGMP, is a protocol that allows hosts to dynamically join a multicast group.
  • Unlike broadcast transmission (which is used on some local area networks), multicast clients receive a stream of packets only if they have previously elect to do so (by joining the specific multicast group address).
  • Multicast applicatios:The multicast technology makes possible the use of the following effective abd simple applications:
    • Video conferences
    • Live broadcasting
    • Web TV, web radio
    • Video-on-demand
    • E-learning
    • Whiteboard data change

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