Simple bridges link two segments and contains a table that lists the addresses of all the stations included in each of them. Learning bridges learn the locations of the computers automatically by extracting the location from the sent frame. The performance of a bridged network can be maximized by attaching to the same segment, a set of computers that interact frequently. Routers Routers relay packets among multiple interconnected networks. They route packets from one network to any of a number of potential destination networks on any internet.
Routers have addresses on, and links to, two or more networks at the same time.
If a received packet is addressed to a node on a network of which the router is not a member, the router is capable of determining which of its connected networks is the best next relay point for the packet. A gateway is generally software installed on a router. It can accept a packet formatted for one protocol and convert it to a packet formatted for another protocol. The chief advantage of fiber modems is their ability to provide a connection to remote LAN without changing the original LAN or the computer. Switches A switched LAN consists of a single electronic device that transfers frames among many computers.