Truyn d liu t my tnh n my tnh trong h thng mng c 3 loi l: Unicast,
Broadcast v Multicast c nh ngha trong IPv4 v c ng dng thc t, ngoi ra
cn c mt kiu truyn d liu khc l Anycast (IPv6) nhng cng ch mi l nh ngha. Unicast: truyn thng Unicast l vic truyn d liu t mt my tnh n mt my tnh khc. Trong mt mng my tnh thng thng, khi my A truyn d liu n cho my B th tt c cc my tnh khc s khng nhn v x l c d liu ny. VD: my tnh ngun kt ni vi my tnh ch thng qua Switch. Khi my ngun mun truyn d liu th n s gi d liu n cho Switch v Switch s chuyn n cho my ngun (cc my cn li s khng nhn c d liu). Trong mt trng hp khc ta thay Switch bng vic dng Hub th mt vn khc s xy ra. V Hub khng thng minh nh Switch nn d liu t my ngun s c gi n tt c my tnh khc trong mng. Tuy nhin, nu iu ny c xy ra th NIC (Network Interface Card) trn cc my tnh b gi nhm s xc nh li a ch IP my nhn trong gi tin Unicast c phi gi n cho a ch IP ca n hay khng, nu khng phi th n s khng x l gi tin . Broadcast: l vic truyn d liu t mt my n tt c cc my trong cng mt Subnet (mng con). y cn xc nh r rng gi tin Broadcast khng phi l gi tin gi d liu t mt my n tt c cc my trong mng, thay vo n s gi d liu n tt c cc my trong mt Subnet. Subnet: l mt nhm cc my tnh c xc nh t mt nhm my tnh ln hn, c xc nh qua mt hoc nhiu Router. Ni mt cch d hiu, mt port (cng) trn Router s phn chia ra mt Subnet Multicast: hnh thc truyn d liu t mt my n mt nhm my tnh c thit lp t trc. Khi mt my tnh tham gia vo nhm Multicast, NIC ca my s cu hnh cho php x l d liu thng qua vic a ch IP ca nhm Multicast . Nhng khc bit: Unicast: truyn d liu t mt my n mt my trong cng mt mng ln (c th truyn t subnet ny sang subnet khc). Broadcast: truyn d liu t mt my n tt c cc my trong cng mt mng con (ch c th truyn d liu trong cng mt subnet, tr trng hp ngoi l). Multicast: d liu c th c truyn t subnet ny sang subnet khc (tng t Unicast) Nhng ngoi l: Hu ht cc quy tc c t ra u c ngoi l. V th m Router v Broadcast cng c trng hp ngoi l. Trong trng hp bnh thng, Router l thit b xc nh v phn cch cc Subnet nn gi tin Broadcast n t cc port khc nhau ca Router s khng th truyn n c vi nhau. Tuy nhin trong mt s trng hp nh vic s dng DHCP Server, Router s c cu hnh cho php cc gi tin Broadcast di chuyn t subnet ny sang
subnet kia mt cch d dng. iu ny gip cho mt DHCP Server n l c th
phc v cho nhiu DHCP Server trong mng, mc d trong mng c nhiu subnet c phn chia.