NETWORK RELAY CONTROL METHOD AND DEVICE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a router relaying a packet between communication terminals that can reduce a transfer quantity of data through an internal bus and continue the data transfering even when its path calculation section enters a functional incompetence. SOLUTION: A relay processing section 204 of the router 201 is provided with a Hello response section 208 and a packet buffer 209. The Hello response section 208 responds to a Hello packet sent from an external router 210. When the path calculation section 202 malfunctions due to a fault, a packet buffer 209 stores information such as path fluctuations, and the Hello response section 208 continuously exchanges the Hello packet with the external router 210.