FastIP is an IP switching protocol developed by 3Com. Fast IP differs from other IP switching in that the end user initiates the process, not a router or switch. The end user establishes a layer 2 connection through source and destination MAC addresses. The originating device sends a packet over layer 3 to the router, which forwards the packet to the destination address, upon which the destination device returns a response using the sender’s layer 2 address. Once the direct connection has been established, the sending device can then send further data directly to the receiving device without having to hop through routers.
