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Networking Intermediate

What is Network Bridge?

A device or software that connects two or more network segments at the data link layer, forwarding traffic based on MAC addresses.

Network bridges operate at Layer 2 (Data Link) of the OSI model, forwarding Ethernet frames between segments based on MAC address tables. They learn which devices are on which port by examining source MAC addresses of incoming frames. Bridges extend network reach while filtering traffic — frames destined for the same segment are not forwarded. In virtualization, software bridges (Linux bridge, Open vSwitch) connect virtual machines to physical networks. Docker uses bridge networks by default for container communication. Bridges differ from routers (Layer 3, IP-based forwarding) and switches (modern multi-port bridges with hardware acceleration).

Related Terms

Network Topology
The physical or logical arrangement of nodes and connections in a computer network, such as star, mesh, ring, or bus configurations.
DNS over HTTPS (DoH)
A protocol that encrypts DNS queries by sending them over HTTPS, preventing eavesdropping and manipulation of DNS traffic.
Token Bucket Algorithm
A rate limiting algorithm that allows burst traffic by accumulating tokens at a fixed rate and consuming them per request.
Multicast
A network communication method that sends data to multiple recipients simultaneously without duplicating packets for each recipient.
VLAN (Virtual LAN)
A logical grouping of network devices that creates separate broadcast domains on the same physical network infrastructure.
BGP (Border Gateway Protocol)
The routing protocol that makes the internet work by exchanging routing information between autonomous systems.
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