I hope one of you can answer a couple of seemingly simple questions about
networking devices. Now I understand that two segments connected by a hub
act as one collision domain. But how about a bridge? As I understand it, a
bridge is used to connect to networks together to act as one network and can
also connect two different media types together, such as 10Base5 and
10BaseT, but I believe that it keeps the two networks separate in regards to
collision domains. Am I right?

Switches confuse me a bit also. Understanding the differences between
bridges and switches is messing me up. Can anyone help? If it wasn't for
the data link layer, I'd be good to go for this exam!!!

Chris
A+

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"Chris E" <evans364@mchsi.com> wrote in message
news:nGaM9.271203$GR5.91215@rwcrnsc51.ops.asp.att.net...
> I hope one of you can answer a couple of seemingly simple questions about
> networking devices. Now I understand that two segments connected by a hub
> act as one collision domain. But how about a bridge? As I understand it,
a
> bridge is used to connect to networks together to act as one network and
can
> also connect two different media types together, such as 10Base5 and
> 10BaseT, but I believe that it keeps the two networks separate in regards
to
> collision domains. Am I right?
>
I'm pretty sure that is close...

> Switches confuse me a bit also. Understanding the differences between
> bridges and switches is messing me up.

Switches provide bridging capacity along with the ability to increase the
bandwidth on existing networks. Switches used on LANs are similar to
bridges, in htat they operate at the data-link MAC sublayer (layer2) to
examine device addresses of all incoming traffic. Also like a bridge, a
switch keeps a table of information about addresses and uses that
information to decide how to filter and forware LAN traffic. Unlike a
bridge, switches use switching techniques to increase the throughput of data
and the bandwidth of installed media. (from guide to designing and
implementing local and wide area networks-Michale Palmer, Robert Sinclair)

Does that help?

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>Subject: Re: a couple of device questions
>From: "sLIVER" sLIVER@dontemailme.com
>Date: 12/18/2002 10:57 PM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <xsbM9.188208$ea.3886308@news2.calgary.shaw.ca>
>
>
>"Chris E" <evans364@mchsi.com> wrote in message
>news:nGaM9.271203$GR5.91215@rwcrnsc51.ops.asp.att.net...
>> I hope one of you can answer a couple of seemingly simple questions about
>> networking devices. Now I understand that two segments connected by a hub
>> act as one collision domain. But how about a bridge? As I understand it,
>a
>> bridge is used to connect to networks together to act as one network and
>can
>> also connect two different media types together, such as 10Base5 and
>> 10BaseT, but I believe that it keeps the two networks separate in regards
>to
>> collision domains. Am I right?
>>
>I'm pretty sure that is close...
>
>> Switches confuse me a bit also. Understanding the differences between
>> bridges and switches is messing me up.
>
>Switches provide bridging capacity along with the ability to increase the
>bandwidth on existing networks. Switches used on LANs are similar to
>bridges, in htat they operate at the data-link MAC sublayer (layer2) to
>examine device addresses of all incoming traffic. Also like a bridge, a
>switch keeps a table of information about addresses and uses that
>information to decide how to filter and forware LAN traffic. Unlike a
>bridge, switches use switching techniques to increase the throughput of data
>and the bandwidth of installed media. (from guide to designing and
>implementing local and wide area networks-Michale Palmer, Robert Sinclair)
>
>Does that help?
>
>
If I remember correctly from Mike Myers All In One Network + book then his
explanation was that a switch was a Hub with a Built in bridge. Meaning that
its like having each port separated by a bridge. Messages incoming from one
port on the switch only are relayed to the correct port on the switch. This
eliminates unnecessary traffic. Hubs just relay it on all of the ports.



crazymiclo
A+

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Chris E <evans364@mchsi.com> wrote:

> But how about a bridge? As I understand it, a
> bridge is used to connect to networks together to act as one network and can
> also connect two different media types together, such as 10Base5 and
> 10BaseT, but I believe that it keeps the two networks separate in regards to
> collision domains. Am I right?

Sounds fine to me.

> Switches confuse me a bit also. Understanding the differences between
> bridges and switches is messing me up. Can anyone help? If it wasn't for
> the data link layer, I'd be good to go for this exam!!!

Primarily a bridge will segment a network into 2 parts i.e. it will have
two ports, it will recieve data one one and decide if it should spit it
back out of the other side or now. With a switch you have multiple
ports and the switch will then physically connect each device/segment
together as necessary. Think of it like one of those all switchboards
where people are plugging cables into different holes, device A needs to
speak to device D so the switch cables the 2 together and uncables them
as soon as it has finished.
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