Editing Distance-vector routing protocol (section)

{{short description|Class of routing protocols}}
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A '''distance-vector routing protocol''' in [[data networks]] determines the best route for data packets based on distance. Distance-vector routing protocols measure the distance by the number of [[Router (computing)|routers]] a packet has to pass; one router counts as one hop. Some distance-vector protocols also take into account [[network latency]] and other factors that influence traffic on a given route. To determine the best route across a network, routers using a distance-vector protocol exchange information with one another, usually [[routing tables]] plus hop counts for destination networks and possibly other traffic information. Distance-vector routing protocols also require that a router inform its neighbours of [[network topology]] changes periodically.

Distance-vector routing protocols use the [[Bellman–Ford algorithm]] to calculate the best route. Another way of calculating the best route across a network is based on link cost, and is implemented through [[link-state routing protocol]]s.

The term ''distance vector'' refers to the fact that the protocol manipulates ''vectors'' ([[Array data structure|arrays]]) of distances to other nodes in the network.  The distance vector algorithm was the original [[ARPANET]] routing algorithm and was implemented more widely in [[local area networks]] with the [[Routing Information Protocol]] (RIP).