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bridge - a network device that connects two (or more) LANs and forwards or filters data packets between them, based on their destination address; bridge operates at the Data Link Layer (OSI) and is transparent to higher network protocols
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| 2 |
switch - multi-port device designed to increase performance; packet are filtered or forwarded based on their MAC source and destination addresses. There are Cut-Through switches and Store-and-Forward switches
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| 3 |
router - a network device capable of filtering/forwarding packets, reading their network addresses (e.g. IP) and route accordingly; router operates at the Network Layer (OSI)
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| 4 |
brouter - a device that routes specific protocols, such as TCP/IP and bridges other protocols
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| 5 |
gateway - a device for interconnecting 2 or more dissimilar networks; it can translate protocols and operates at all layers of OSI Reference Model
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