Bridges
A bridge is used to connect two different LANs or two similar network segments so that
they appear to be one network. A bridge builds a bridging table of the addresses located
on each side of itself, so it can intelligently send messages to the correct network or net-
work segment for delivery. Network node addressing is covered later in this chapter.
Becauseabridgesendsmessagesonlytothepartofthenetworkonwhichthedestina-
tion node exists, the overall affect of a bridge on a network is reduced network traffic and
a reduction of message bottlenecks.Switches
A network switch is used like a bridge to connect network segments together to form a
single network or larger network segment. A switch can be characterized as a very smart
hub. Switches are steadily gaining ability and the newer versions perform some of the
same bridging and router functions of bridges and routers.(^522) PC Hardware: A Beginner’s Guide
Figure 20-8. A hub is used to distribute network signals to nodes and to connect the nodes to the
network backbone