I was oblivious to the fact that I was using the word "subnet". What I should have used is the word "segment". Anyway, I went back to what I thought was the source and was unable to find the description I had read. I'll look again. Not sure where I read it now. Anyway, this thread has confirmed what I have always understood, ie. that switches are multiport bridges. If I find that description again, I'll post it here for you to take a look at.
""Priscilla Oppenheimer"" wrote in message [EMAIL PROTECTED]">news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]... > At 02:58 PM 5/22/02, Kevin Jones wrote: > >If a multiport bridge determines (based on the destination MAC address) that > >the destination node is on another subnet, > > Stop right there. It can't figure out that the destination is on a > different subnet from the MAC address. Subnets are differentiated by > network-layer information. MAC addresses are at the data-link layer. > > If the destination is on a different subnet, the destination MAC will be a > router's MAC address, although the bridge (switch) wouldn't recognize that > (unless it had some weird feature that did this, which is unlikely). If the > bridge (switch) has learned which port reaches that MAC address, then it > will forward the frame out that port and no other. If it hasn't learned how > to reach that address yet, then it will flood the frame out all ports. > > Bridges and switches behave exactly the same. > > Priscilla > > > > > it will broadcast the frame out > >all ports except the originating port. A switch, on the other hand, is > >smart enough to only forward the frame out the destination port. Both > >devices handle unknown frames and broadcasts the same way, ie. they will > >forward the packets out all ports except the one the frame was received on. > > > >Any thoughts? > ________________________ > > Priscilla Oppenheimer > http://www.priscilla.com Message Posted at: http://www.groupstudy.com/form/read.php?f=7&i=44759&t=44649 -------------------------------------------------- FAQ, list archives, and subscription info: http://www.groupstudy.com/list/cisco.html Report misconduct and Nondisclosure violations to [EMAIL PROTECTED]