Question : Bridges and swithes

What is the differences between bridges and swithes?

What is the physical gateway in the OSI model

Answer : Bridges and swithes

Hello There

Switch

In networks, a device that filters and forwards packets between LAN segments. Switches operate at the data link layer (layer 2) and sometimes the network layer (layer 3) of the OSI Reference Model and therefore support any packet protocol. LANs that use switches to join segments are called switched LANs or, in the case of Ethernet networks, switched Ethernet LANs.
In a network, a switch is a device that channels incoming data from any of multiple input ports to the specific output port that will take the data toward its intended destination.

Bridge

 
In networks, a bridge is a product that connects a local area network (LAN) to another local area network that uses the same protocol (for example, Ethernet or token ring). You can envision a bridge as being a device that decides whether a message from you to someone else is going to the local area network in your building or to someone on the local area network in the building across the street. A bridge examines each message on a LAN, "passing" those known to be within the same LAN, and forwarding those known to be on the other interconnected LAN (or LANs).



PeteL