Which networking device forwards data packets at the hardware address level?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

To tackle the question, I’ll evaluate what each listed networking device does, focusing on how data is forwarded.
Option 1: Hub. A hub operates at the physical layer and simply repeats incoming electrical signals to all ports. It does not inspect MAC or network layer addresses, so it cannot forward data packets based on hardware (MAC) addresses. This makes it unsuitable for MAC-based forwarding.
Option 2: Switch. A switch is designed to forward data frames using MAC addresses. It builds a MAC address table mapping devices to switch ports and uses that information to send frames only to the intended destination port, rather than broadcasting to every port. This is precisely how hardware address (MAC) level forwarding is achieved.
Option 3: Repeater. A repeater extends a network segment by regenerating and amplifying signals, but it operates only at the physical layer and does not use MAC addresses to forward frames. Its function is to maintain signal integrity over longer distances, not to perform address-based forwarding.
Option 4: Modem. A modem modulates and demodulates signals for transmission over telephone lines or other media, bridging between digital data and analog transmission. It does not forward frames based on hardware addresses within a local network.
In summary, the device that forwards data packets by using hardware addresses (MAC addresses) to determine the destination and port is the switch, whereas hubs broadcast, repeaters ignore addresses, and modems handle signaling rather than local switching.

Which networking device forwards data packets at the hardware address level?

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