4 Ethernet and Local Area Networks Free Online FlashCards

Which IEEE standard defines Ethernet?

Ethernet is a family of wired local-area networking technologies standardized as IEEE 802.3.

What does an Ethernet frame carry in its payload?

An Ethernet frame carries data across a link, with a network-layer packet and its data in the payload.

What is the usual length and written form of a MAC address?

A MAC address is 48 bits long and is usually written as six pairs of hexadecimal digits.

What is the Ethernet broadcast MAC address?

The broadcast MAC address is FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF.

How does a switch learn which port is associated with a MAC address?

It examines each incoming frame’s source MAC address and records the port on which that address was learned.

What does full-duplex Ethernet allow?

Full duplex allows both ends to transmit and receive simultaneously. This is the normal mode for a device connected directly to a switch port.

What MAC address does a sender use when the destination is outside its local IP network?

The sender addresses the Ethernet frame to the MAC address of its next-hop router, which then forwards the IP packet toward the other network.

What does the Ethernet FCS do?

The Frame Check Sequence (FCS) lets a receiver detect frame corruption; it does not repair errors.

What role does a MAC address play, and what is it not used for?

A MAC address identifies an Ethernet interface on the local link; routers do not use it to forward traffic between IP networks.

How does a switch handle known and unknown destination MAC addresses?

For a known destination, the switch forwards through the associated port. For an unknown destination, it floods the frame out other ports in the same VLAN.

How does a switch forward a broadcast frame?

A switch floods broadcast frames within the same VLAN.

Does a switch normally send a frame back through its incoming port?

A switch ordinarily does not send a frame back out the port on which it arrived.