Computer Network Switches
By Stephen Bucaro

A bridge or router may be referred to as a "switch" because it uses information in the
data packet to choose a path from one network segment to another. A bridge may be referred to
as a "layer 2 switch" because it uses information from layer 2, the Data Link layer of
the OSI model. A router may be referred to as a "layer 3 switch" because it uses information
from layer 3, the Network layer of the OSI model. A network device that uses a higher layer of
the OSI model may be referred to as a "layer 4 switch", and so on.
More Networking Protocols and Standards: • Integration of IPv6 with IPv4 • Network Switches • TCP/IP Features • Shortest Path Bridging (SPB) Protocol • OSI Transport Layer • Routing Information Protocol (RIP), Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), and Routing Convergence • WAN Network Protocols - DSL, SONET, HDLC, DWDM, DLSW+ • How to Set Up FTP (File Transfer Protocol) • Network Gateways • Video - Network Layer (Layer 3) of OSI Networking Model
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