Computer Networks. Part Five: Switched Ethernet LANs HD

This is fifth in a series about computer networks. This video describes the benefits of using switches in local area networks. It covers the fundamental differences between hubs and switches in terms of collision domains and full duplex versus half duplex transmission. The structure of an Ethernet frame is described including the preamble, start frame delimiter, destination and source MAC addresses, payload, and the frame check sequence which is used for performing a cyclic redundancy check. Also covered in this video is the role of the forwarding table inside a switch and the three switching modes: store and forward, cut through and fragment free switching. Finally, a large scale topology involving a high speed core switch, distributions switches and access switches is mentioned, along with the importance of using the spanning tree protocol to avoid broadcast storms.