Farina Ahmed Lv5Posted 09 Jun 2023 16:59
  
The main difference between a layer 2 switch and a layer 3 switch lies in their respective functionalities and the scope of their operations within a network. Here's a brief comparison:

Layer 2 Switch:

Operates at the Data Link Layer (Layer 2) of the OSI model.
Forwards traffic based on the MAC (Media Access Control) addresses of devices.
Uses MAC address tables to make forwarding decisions.
Performs Ethernet switching and VLAN tagging/untagging.
Provides basic network connectivity and segmentation within a local network.
Does not perform routing functions or make decisions based on IP addresses.

Layer 3 Switch:
Operates at both the Data Link Layer (Layer 2) and the Network Layer (Layer 3) of the OSI model.
Incorporates the features of a layer 2 switch along with additional routing capabilities.
Uses IP addresses for routing decisions in addition to MAC addresses.
Maintains routing tables and performs IP routing.
Can route traffic between different VLANs and subnets within a network.
Supports Layer 3 protocols such as IP, ICMP, OSPF, BGP, etc.
Enables inter-VLAN communication and provides advanced network functionality.

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