7.3.7 Lab – View the Switch MAC Address Table (Answers)
Objectives Part 1: Configure and Build the Network Examine the Switch MAC Address Table in Part 2 Context / Scenario A Layer 2 LAN switch's primary function is to transmit Ethernet frames to host devices on the local network. The switch keeps track of all visible host MAC addresses on the network and maps them to its own Ethernet switch ports. This is referred to as creating the MAC address database. When a switch gets a frame from a PC, the source and destination MAC addresses of the frame are examined. The MAC address of the source is saved and mapped to the switch port from which it originated. The target MAC address is then retrieved from the MAC address database. If the destination MAC address is known, the frame is forwarded out of the switch port that corresponds to that MAC address. If the MAC address of the frame is unknown, it is broadcast from all switch ports except the one from which it originated. It is critical to watch and understand how switches operate and how t...