RIPv1 and RIPv2 differ in important ways:
Classful vs Classless:
- RIPv1 doesn't send subnet masks. It assumes classful boundaries.
- RIPv2 includes subnet masks, supporting VLSM and CIDR.
Broadcast vs Multicast:
- RIPv1 broadcasts updates to
- RIPv2 multicasts to , reducing load on non-RIP devices
Authentication:
- RIPv1 has none
- RIPv2 supports plaintext and MD5 authentication
Always use RIPv2 in modern networks. RIPv1 can't handle subnetting correctly.