Which device forwards packets toward their destination based on addressing information?

Which device forwards packets toward their destination based on addressing information?

• A. Switch
• B. Router
• C. Bridge
• D. Hub

Answer: (B)

Forwarding packets toward their destination based on addressing information is the job of a router. Routers connect different networks and examine the destination IP address in each packet to decide where to send it next. They use routing tables and protocols to pick the best path toward the final destination, then forward the packet to the appropriate next hop, across network boundaries. Inside a local network, switches handle the forwarding of frames using MAC addresses. They keep a table that links MAC addresses to specific ports and send frames only toward the device that matches the destination MAC, staying within the same network. Bridges work similarly by connecting LAN segments and using MAC addresses to forward traffic, but they’re an older or simpler form of that behavior. Hubs just repeat incoming signals to all ports, without considering addresses, so every device on the same hub shares the same connection. So, because the question emphasizes directing traffic between networks using addressing, the correct device is the router.

Forwarding packets toward their destination based on addressing information is the job of a router. Routers connect different networks and examine the destination IP address in each packet to decide where to send it next. They use routing tables and protocols to pick the best path toward the final destination, then forward the packet to the appropriate next hop, across network boundaries.

Inside a local network, switches handle the forwarding of frames using MAC addresses. They keep a table that links MAC addresses to specific ports and send frames only toward the device that matches the destination MAC, staying within the same network. Bridges work similarly by connecting LAN segments and using MAC addresses to forward traffic, but they’re an older or simpler form of that behavior. Hubs just repeat incoming signals to all ports, without considering addresses, so every device on the same hub shares the same connection.

So, because the question emphasizes directing traffic between networks using addressing, the correct device is the router.