difference between L3 and L2 switch

[bond007]

Hi all,

What is the difference between L3 and L2 switch ?

Thanks in advance

[Matt Hobbs · Accepted solution]

Layer 2 switches looks at mac-addresses and corresponds them to physical ports.

Layer 3 switches (routers) can look at IP addresses and corresponds them to mac-addresses. Layer 3 devices can forward traffic between different networks.

The ProCurve networking primer is quite good at explaining this and more:

http://www.hp.com/rnd/training/technical/primer.htm

[Sivakumar TS]

Hi Bond,

Check this thread

http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-11190-0.html?forumID=46&threadID=182329

Hope this helps you,

Siva.

[Chan 007]

Bond,

This will explain all the 7 OSI layers and interesting..

http://www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/OSI_Layers.asp

To a quick note.

A Layer 2 Siwtch will work using the MAC address (Each card will have its own Ethernet Address coded into alpha - decimal chars)
e.g. IPX Protocal used by novel netware servers. Very hard to do routing.

While the layer 3 uses IP address.
Very easy using IP addresses.

If want to go more, just read man ARP also..!!

Chan

[Sivakumar TS]

One more link FYI

http://www.ciscopress.com/articles/article.asp?p=170742&seqNum=2&rl=1