[erlang-questions] Broadcast UDP message

[Cameron Kerr]

 From a system perspective, this will depend on the OS, as the  
specifics for how 255.255.255.255 is routed changes on different  
operating systems.

If you are on Linux, I think you need to have a route entry that will  
match (typically your default route) Note that it only use this to  
determine which interface to send to (it will not use the gateway).  
Given your error of ENETUNREACH, this is almost certainly what will be  
happening.

Some other systems will choose the "primary interface", which is the  
first BROADCAST, UP interface.

Also note that 255.255.255.255 should only really be used for  
bootstrap purposes when you don't have a better IP configuration;  
typically only protocols such as DHCP and routing protocols should use  
it; user applications should almost always use the subnet-directed  
broadcast address.

On 11/06/2009, at 2:53 AM, Lucas Robsahm wrote:

> Hi!
>
> I'm trying to send a broadcast message to 255.255.255.255 but I can't
> get it to work.
> My IP-Address is 192.168.1.1 and it's ok to send UDP message to
> 192.168.1.255 but I need to send it to 255.255.255.255.
>
> {ok, Socket} = gen_udp:open(0, [binary, {broadcast, true}]),
> ok = gen_udp:send(Socket, {255, 255, 255, 255}, 68, Message).
>
> The result of this is badmatch, {error, enetunreach}.
>
> What's wrong?
> How can i broadcast UDP messages?
>
> //Lucas

-- 
Cameron Kerr <ckerr@REDACTED>
Teaching Fellow, Computer Science, University of Otago