Does layer 2 switch understand IP address and MAC address both.

[meetgill]

Sir,
As router is a layer 3 device and it can understand only IP address not understand hardware address (Am i right). I want to know that is switch (layer 2) understand only hardware address or also can understand IP address.

[kooijhe]

Originally Posted by meetgill

Sir,
As router is a layer 3 device and it can understand only IP address not understand hardware address (Am i right). I want to know that is switch (layer 2) understand only hardware address or also can understand IP address.

Hi

I think you are right. In layer 2 there is only a broadcast from host address to all on the same broacast domain. The replay is then the macadress of the device where to request will go to

[ciscodaze]

Routers will actually participate in the arp process. Strictly speaking, arp is a layer 2 protocol, but it helps layer 3 to find hardware addresses. But yes, routers only forward IP packets, as far as addressing goes.

Switches however can use IP addresses, but only virtually, (not on a phsycial interface) - you assign an ip address to a switch's management vlan for telnet/ssh with the command

Switch(config)#int vlan x
Switch(config-if)#ip add x.x.x.x x.x.x.x