Which device sends packets to the destined computer only, rather than broadcasting to all devices on the network?

Which device sends packets to the destined computer only, rather than broadcasting to all devices on the network?

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

Answer: (B)

In a local network, decisions are made using MAC addresses. A switch builds a table of which devices (MAC addresses) are reachable on which ports by inspecting the source address of frames. Once it knows where a device lives, it forwards frames only to the specific port that leads to that destination, delivering the packet directly to the destined computer. If the destination is unknown, the switch floods the frame to all ports to learn where the device is and update its table. This targeted forwarding reduces unnecessary traffic and keeps the rest of the network from seeing every frame. This differs from a hub, which simply repeats every incoming frame to all ports, so every device on the network sees the traffic. A bridge can forward based on MAC addresses too but is typically limited to fewer ports. A router, on the other hand, routes traffic between different networks rather than within a single LAN. So, the device that sends packets to the destined computer only is the switch.

In a local network, decisions are made using MAC addresses. A switch builds a table of which devices (MAC addresses) are reachable on which ports by inspecting the source address of frames. Once it knows where a device lives, it forwards frames only to the specific port that leads to that destination, delivering the packet directly to the destined computer. If the destination is unknown, the switch floods the frame to all ports to learn where the device is and update its table. This targeted forwarding reduces unnecessary traffic and keeps the rest of the network from seeing every frame.

This differs from a hub, which simply repeats every incoming frame to all ports, so every device on the network sees the traffic. A bridge can forward based on MAC addresses too but is typically limited to fewer ports. A router, on the other hand, routes traffic between different networks rather than within a single LAN. So, the device that sends packets to the destined computer only is the switch.