Hubs and switches are network devices that forward frames on a local network and operate at which layer?

Hubs and switches are network devices that forward frames on a local network and operate at which layer?

• A. Transport Layer
• B. Link Layer
• C. Presentation Layer
• D. Session Layer

Answer: (B)

Frames are handled at the data-link layer, where data is organized into frames and addressed with MAC addresses to move between devices on the same local network. A switch operates at this layer by inspecting the destination MAC address and forwarding the frame only to the appropriate port, after learning which devices are reachable on which ports. This selective forwarding reduces unnecessary traffic and collisions compared to a simple broadcast. Hubs, by contrast, are basic repeaters that don’t inspect frames; they simply rebroadcast bits to all ports, effectively extending the physical network without any frame-level decision making. Because the focus is on how frames are addressed and delivered within a local network, the layer that best describes this forwarding behavior is the data-link layer.

Frames are handled at the data-link layer, where data is organized into frames and addressed with MAC addresses to move between devices on the same local network. A switch operates at this layer by inspecting the destination MAC address and forwarding the frame only to the appropriate port, after learning which devices are reachable on which ports. This selective forwarding reduces unnecessary traffic and collisions compared to a simple broadcast. Hubs, by contrast, are basic repeaters that don’t inspect frames; they simply rebroadcast bits to all ports, effectively extending the physical network without any frame-level decision making. Because the focus is on how frames are addressed and delivered within a local network, the layer that best describes this forwarding behavior is the data-link layer.