Which of the following devices performs forwarding decisions based on MAC addresses?
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A. B. C. D.A.
The device that performs forwarding decisions based on MAC addresses is a switch.
A switch is a network device that connects devices together on a local area network (LAN) and operates at the data link layer (layer 2) of the OSI model. Switches use the destination MAC address in a frame to determine which port to forward the frame out to, allowing for efficient communication between devices on the same network.
A router, on the other hand, operates at the network layer (layer 3) of the OSI model and makes forwarding decisions based on IP addresses, not MAC addresses. Routers are used to connect networks together, such as LANs and WANs, and can be used to direct traffic between them.
A hub is an older networking device that operates at the physical layer (layer 1) of the OSI model and simply repeats incoming data out to all connected devices. Hubs do not make forwarding decisions based on MAC addresses, which can lead to network congestion and collisions.
A repeater is also a network device that operates at the physical layer of the OSI model and simply amplifies and regenerates incoming signals to extend the reach of a network. Like hubs, repeaters do not make forwarding decisions based on MAC addresses.