Composite trunking in a router

(57) A summary Internet router treats two or more output ports with a common address as one compound port. Routing table determines the compound suitcase to which a packet is sent out using an IP address. A forwarding table identifies the course in alignment with the routing fabric in the router to the specific output port of a compound port. By making channel selection of the flow in accordance with the single fabric course to a single outgoing trunk, an output port and a fabric course are chosen so that the turn in a flow can be maintained. A forwarding table thinks as important the output port nearest to a packet input port, and a forwarding table can be improved so that the load over the suitcase of a compound suitcase may be made to balance dynamically.