About this interactive
From the lesson:
- **Switch ports are Layer 2:** they interconnect devices so they can talk on one local area network.
- **Router ports are Layer 3:** they route between different networks.
- A **Layer 3 switch** merges the two. Its ports are, for the most part, Layer 2, and inside it a virtual routed port routes from one local area network to another.
Ask of each job: does the traffic stay inside one LAN, or does it cross to another network?
What you'll learn
- Decide whether a job is switching, which a Layer 2 switch does inside a local area network, or routing between networks, which needs a router or a Layer 3 switch
- Explain that a Layer 3 switch adds a router's function to a switch, routing between LANs through a virtual routed port
Aligned to
CompTIA Network+
1.2
Compare and contrast networking appliances, applications, and functions.
Cisco CCNA
1.1
Explain the role and function of network components
Key terms
- Layer 3 Switch
- A network switch that incorporates routing functionality, allowing it to forward traffic based on both MAC addresses and IP addresses across multiple networks.
- Switch
- A network device that connects devices within a LAN and forwards traffic based on MAC addresses.
- Router
- A network device that forwards data packets between networks based on IP addresses.
- Layer 2
- The Data Link layer of the OSI model, responsible for MAC addressing and frame delivery on a local network.
- Layer 3
- The Network layer of the OSI model, responsible for logical addressing and routing packets between networks.
Topics
Layer 3 Switch
Switch
Router
Layer 2
Layer 3
Interactive
Streak Sort
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