Which network device sends data only to the destination device?

Which network device sends data only to the destination device?

• A. Hub
• B. Gateway
• C. Switch
• D. Router

Answer: (C)

How data is forwarded in a local network determines which device ultimately delivers frames to the right recipient. A switch builds a table that associates each device’s MAC address with the port it’s connected to. When a frame arrives, the switch checks the destination MAC and sends that frame only out the port toward the destination device. This unicast forwarding keeps traffic targeted and efficient, so data reaches the specific device without flooding everyone on the network. In contrast, a hub doesn’t distinguish between devices at all; it repeats every incoming signal on all ports, so every device on the network sees all frames. A gateway connects a network to a different network or protocol, often performing translation or bridging between disparate systems rather than just delivering within the same LAN. A router moves packets between networks and uses IP addresses to decide where to send them, typically routing between subnets rather than delivering frames to a single device within a single local network. So the device that sends data only to the destination device is the one that uses MAC-address-based switching to forward unicast frames.

How data is forwarded in a local network determines which device ultimately delivers frames to the right recipient. A switch builds a table that associates each device’s MAC address with the port it’s connected to. When a frame arrives, the switch checks the destination MAC and sends that frame only out the port toward the destination device. This unicast forwarding keeps traffic targeted and efficient, so data reaches the specific device without flooding everyone on the network.

In contrast, a hub doesn’t distinguish between devices at all; it repeats every incoming signal on all ports, so every device on the network sees all frames. A gateway connects a network to a different network or protocol, often performing translation or bridging between disparate systems rather than just delivering within the same LAN. A router moves packets between networks and uses IP addresses to decide where to send them, typically routing between subnets rather than delivering frames to a single device within a single local network.

So the device that sends data only to the destination device is the one that uses MAC-address-based switching to forward unicast frames.