Comments for Router or Switch? at http://www.ureadit.com , comment 1 to 1 out of 1 comments http://www.ureadit.com Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:02:13 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.ureadit.com/dansblog/96-routerorswitch.html#comment-34 Hello, I find your post very interesting but I couldn't find the detailed explanation to what I need for thorough understanding. Here goes: 0. Talking about LAN (local area network), no routers. 1. You connect PC-s(Ethernet card or NIC-Network Interface Card) and switch with a Straight-through UTP cable. 2. NIC (e.g.PC1) sends some random packets and switch listens and records the PC1-s MAC address on port it is connected - correct? 3. IF correct - When PC1, PC2, PC3 are connected to switch, switch remembers their MAC addresses on individual port each PC is connected. 4.Does PC1 learn all those MAC addresses of other PC-s and writes them to ARP cache once switch learns those MAC addresses OR - PC1 must first send some data (e.g file.txt) to PC2 - detailed: PC1 encapsulates IP address and MAC address ((source PC1 and destination PC2 (IP and MAC:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF) - broadcast address), then switch sends that package to all PC-s on switch and the one that recognizes it self (with destination IP address)receives the package and returns it's MAC address with it's IP address while all other PC-s drop the package. That way PC1 learns MAC address of PC2 and writes it in ARP cache. When sending data to PC2, PC1 includes received MAC address as destination MAC address so it directly communicates to PC2 - correct? - Tester Fri, 29 Jul 2011 09:15:32 +0100