Subnetwork Access Protocol

<p>The Subnetwork Access Protocol (SNAP) is a mechanism for multiplexing, on networks using <a href="/facts/IEEE_802.2_LLC/JIkDGFMY">IEEE 802.2 LLC</a>, more protocols than can be distinguished by the eight-bit 802.2 <a href="/facts/Service_Access_Point/gvnuSkvh">Service Access Point</a> (SAP) fields. SNAP supports identifying protocols by <a href="/facts/EtherType/Lt0ADRfK">EtherType</a> field values; it also supports vendor-private protocol identifier spaces.  It is used with <a href="/facts/IEEE_802.3/Q9jxNSNT">IEEE 802.3</a>, <a href="/facts/IEEE_802.4/9w10A6vS">IEEE 802.4</a>, <a href="/facts/IEEE_802.5/mfQj6GSx">IEEE 802.5</a>, <a href="/facts/IEEE_802.11/ryEGu6Vq">IEEE 802.11</a> and other <a href="/facts/IEEE_802/yKy0UEJI">IEEE 802</a> <a href="/facts/Physical_layer/WuATCrVw">physical network layers</a>, as well as with non-IEEE 802 physical network layers such as <a href="/facts/FDDI/nowmb0ue">FDDI</a> that use 802.2 LLC.
</p><p>The SNAP and <a href="/facts/IEEE_802.2/JIkDGFMY">LSAP</a> fields are <a href="/facts/Encapsulation_(networking)/xttAQnu0">added</a> to the <a href="/facts/Network_packet/xCYf8SJu">packets</a> at the transmitting node in order to allow the receiving node to <a href="/facts/Demultiplex/YE7hK8cw">pass</a> each received <a href="/facts/Frame_(networking)/ltGCbJIq">frame</a> to an appropriate <a href="/facts/Device_driver/rDYnHU1G">device driver</a> which understands the given <a href="/facts/Communications_protocol/5uady7cB">protocol</a>.
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Subnetwork Access Protocol open-in-new

Subnetwork Access Protocol