>> >> In the modern world, there is no difference between a bridge and a switch.
>> >> I don't think it's even possible to find a bridge that isn't a "learning
>> >> bridge" these days.
>> >
>> >Well, bridges always tend to have exactly two ports. :-)
>> 
>> i thought that was a repeater.  :-/
>
>Not in my understanding, though repeaters also have two ports. Bridges and
>switches are about the same thing - just differeing in sales terms. The
>main thing is that they record which ethernet addresses are on which
>ports. When they receive an ethernet packet on a particular wire, if they
>know that address is on a different port, they relay the packet. If that
>address is on the wire segment they received the message on (that address
>already has gotten the packet), they do nothing.
>
>Repeaters repeat everthing they hear.

so...regarding hubs, bridges, switches, and repeaters:

* hubs and repeaters repeat everything they hear, whereas bridges and
  switches "learn" not to.
* hubs and switches have more than two ports, whereas bridges and
  repeaters don't.

did i miss anything?  :)

>"Switch"es are the same thing, except that they always have multiple
>ports. Someone else mentioned bridges which had more than two ports - now
>adays the sales folks call them switches.

i think we should just call a spade a spade.  all the bridges i've
driven over only go point to point, never point to multi-point.

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