CyberCertPrepNetwork FundamentalsOSI & TCP/IP ModelsEASYFree question
At which OSI layer does a Layer 2 switch primarily operate, and which identifier does it use to make forwarding decisions?
- A.Layer 3 - uses IP addresses to forward frames
- B.Layer 2 - uses MAC addresses from its MAC address table (CAM table) to forward frames out the correct port
- C.Layer 1 - broadcasts all traffic to all ports like a hub
- D.Layer 4 - uses TCP port numbers for VLAN assignment
Why B is correct
A Layer 2 switch operates at OSI Layer 2 (Data Link) and makes forwarding decisions based on destination MAC addresses stored in its Content Addressable Memory (CAM) table. When a frame arrives, the switch looks up the destination MAC in the CAM table and forwards the frame out the corresponding port. If the MAC is unknown, it floods the frame to all ports except the one it arrived on.
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