RELAY DEVICE AND RELAY METHOD

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a relay method by which traffic between repeaters due to path selection can be reduced. SOLUTION: A path decision circuit 7 references a path information storage circuit 8 via a path information reference circuit 9 based on a destination address buffered in a destination address buffer 4. When the circuit 7 obtains a plurality of paths, a band information comparator circuit 14 compares results of referring to a band information storage circuit 12 storing check results by a band inspection circuit 11 via a band information reference circuit 13 to select a path having a maximum band, to select a path with the maximum band and to update an operating address. The path decision circuit 7 decides the operating address as a transfer destination replay address. Thus, information of the operating address in path information is updated based on the result of checking the band of a transmission channel based on the result of checking the band of the transmission channel before transmitting a packet to the transfer destination repeater.