Bridge vs. Switch — What's the Difference?
By Fiza Rafique & Urooj Arif — Updated on May 19, 2024
A bridge connects and filters traffic between two or more network segments at the data link layer, while a switch performs similar functions but with more ports and advanced capabilities, often at a higher efficiency.
Difference Between Bridge and Switch
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A bridge is a network device that connects multiple network segments, operating at the data link layer (Layer 2) of the OSI model. It filters traffic based on MAC addresses, reducing collisions and managing traffic between segments. A switch, on the other hand, is more advanced and also operates at the data link layer but has more ports and greater functionality. Switches create a dedicated path for each pair of devices communicating, which significantly improves network performance by reducing collisions and increasing bandwidth.
Bridges are simpler and generally used in smaller or less complex networks, while switches are essential in larger, more complex network environments. Switches support full-duplex communication, which allows simultaneous data transmission and reception, unlike the half-duplex communication often associated with bridges.
Switches also offer features like VLAN support, allowing the creation of virtual LANs within a single physical network, enhancing network segmentation and management. This capability makes switches more versatile and powerful in handling diverse network demands.
Comparison Chart
OSI Model Layer
Data Link Layer (Layer 2)
Data Link Layer (Layer 2)
Functionality
Connects and filters traffic between segments
Connects multiple devices with advanced features
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Ports
Typically fewer ports
Many ports
Traffic Management
Filters traffic based on MAC addresses
Creates dedicated paths for communication pairs
Communication Mode
Usually half-duplex
Full-duplex
Network Size
Suitable for smaller networks
Ideal for larger, complex networks
Advanced Features
Basic filtering and segment connection
VLAN support, higher efficiency, better bandwidth
Compare with Definitions
Bridge
A device that connects and filters traffic between two or more network segments.
The bridge connected the office and warehouse networks to improve communication.
Switch
A device that connects multiple devices within a LAN with high efficiency.
The switch in the server room connects all the computers in the office.
Bridge
Operates at the data link layer (Layer 2) of the OSI model.
The bridge manages traffic using MAC addresses.
Switch
Creates dedicated paths for each pair of communicating devices.
The switch ensured smooth data transfer between the two servers.
Bridge
Typically has fewer ports than a switch.
The bridge had two ports, linking two different segments.
Switch
Supports full-duplex communication.
The switch allowed devices to send and receive data simultaneously.
Bridge
Useful for extending networks.
The bridge extended the reach of the main network to a remote office.
Switch
In electrical engineering, a switch is an electrical component that can disconnect or connect the conducting path in an electrical circuit, interrupting the electric current or diverting it from one conductor to another. The most common type of switch is an electromechanical device consisting of one or more sets of movable electrical contacts connected to external circuits.
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually something that is otherwise difficult or impossible to cross.
Switch
A device for making and breaking the connection in an electric circuit
The guard hit a switch and the gate swung open
Bridge
A structure carrying a road, path, railway, etc. across a river, road, or other obstacle
A bridge across the River Thames
A railway bridge
Switch
An act of changing to or adopting one thing in place of another
His friends were surprised at his switch from newspaper owner to farmer
Bridge
The elevated, enclosed platform on a ship from which the captain and officers direct operations
Talbot stepped across the two gunwales and made his way up to the bridge
Switch
A slender, flexible shoot cut from a tree.
Bridge
The upper bony part of a person's nose
He pushed his spectacles further up the bridge of his nose
Switch
A set of points on a railway track.
Bridge
A partial denture supported by natural teeth on either side.
Switch
A tress of false or detached hair tied at one end, used in hairdressing to supplement natural hair.
Bridge
The part of a stringed instrument over which the strings are stretched
Ebony bridges and fingerboards
Switch
Change the position, direction, or focus of
The company switched the boats to other routes
Bridge
A bridge passage or middle eight.
Switch
Beat or flick with or as if with a switch.
Bridge
The support for the tip of a billiard cue formed by the hand.
Switch
An exchange or a swap, especially one done secretly.
Bridge
An electric circuit with two branches across which a detector or load is connected, used to measure resistance or other property by equalizing the potential across the two ends of a detector, or to rectify an alternating voltage or current.
Switch
A transference or shift, as of opinion or attention.
Bridge
A card game related to whist, played by two partnerships of two players who at the beginning of each hand bid for the right to name the trump suit, the highest bid also representing a contract to make a specified number of tricks with a specified suit as trumps.
Switch
A device used to break or open an electric circuit or to divert current from one conductor to another.
Bridge
Be or make a bridge over (something)
Earlier attempts to bridge St George's Channel had failed
A covered walkway bridged the gardens
Switch
A device consisting of two sections of railroad track and accompanying apparatus used to transfer rolling stock from one track to another.
Bridge
A structure spanning and providing passage over a gap or barrier, such as a river or roadway.
Switch
A slender flexible rod, stick, or twig, especially one used for whipping.
Bridge
Something resembling or analogous to this structure in form or function
A land bridge between the continents.
A bridge of understanding between two countries.
Switch
The bushy tip of the tail of certain animals
A cow's switch.
Bridge
The upper bony ridge of the human nose.
Switch
A thick strand of real or synthetic hair used as part of a coiffure.
Bridge
The part of a pair of eyeglasses that rests against this ridge.
Switch
A flailing or lashing, as with a slender rod
Gave the ox a switch.
Bridge
A fixed or removable replacement for one or several but not all of the natural teeth, usually anchored at each end to a natural tooth.
Switch
To exchange
Asked her brother to switch seats with her.
Bridge
A thin, upright piece of wood in some stringed instruments that supports the strings above the soundboard.
Switch
To shift, transfer, or divert
Switched the conversation to a lighter subject.
Bridge
A transitional passage connecting two subjects or movements.
Switch
To connect, disconnect, or divert (an electric current) by operating a switch.
Bridge
(Nautical) A crosswise platform or enclosed area above the main deck of a ship from which the ship is controlled.
Switch
To cause (an electric current or appliance) to begin or cease operation
Switched the lights on and off.
Bridge
A long stick with a notched plate at one end, used to steady the cue in billiards. Also called rest1.
Switch
(Informal) To produce as if by operating a control. Often used with on
Switched on the charm.
Bridge
The hand used as a support to steady the cue.
Switch
To move (rolling stock) from one track to another; shunt.
Bridge
Any of various instruments for measuring or comparing the characteristics, such as impedance or inductance, of a conductor.
Switch
To whip with a switch, especially in punishing a child.
Bridge
An electrical shunt.
Switch
To jerk or swish abruptly or sharply
A cat switching its tail.
Bridge
(Chemistry) An intramolecular connection that spans atoms or groups of atoms.
Switch
To make or undergo a shift or an exchange
The office has switched to shorter summer hours.
Bridge
Any of several card games derived from whist, usually played by four people in two partnerships, in which trump is determined by bidding and the hand opposite the declarer is played as a dummy.
Switch
To swish sharply from side to side.
Bridge
To build a bridge over.
Switch
A device to turn electric current on and off or direct its flow.
Bridge
To cross by or as if by a bridge.
Switch
A change or exchange.
Bridge
A construction or natural feature that spans a divide.
Switch
A movable section of railroad track which allows the train to be directed down one of two destination tracks; (set of) points.
Bridge
A construction spanning a waterway, ravine, or valley from an elevated height, allowing for the passage of vehicles, pedestrians, trains, etc.
The rope bridge crosses the river.
Switch
A slender woody plant stem used as a whip; a thin, flexible rod, associated with corporal punishment in the United States.
Bridge
(anatomy) The upper bony ridge of the human nose.
Rugby players often break the bridge of their noses.
Switch
(musical instruments) rute.
Bridge
(dentistry) A prosthesis replacing one or several adjacent teeth.
The dentist pulled out the decayed tooth and put in a bridge.
Switch
(computer science) A command line notation allowing specification of optional behavior.
Use the /b switch to specify black-and-white printing.
Bridge
(bowling) The gap between the holes on a bowling ball
Switch
A programming construct that takes different actions depending on the value of an expression.
Bridge
An arch or superstructure.
Switch
A networking device connecting multiple wires, allowing them to communicate simultaneously, when possible. Compare to the less efficient hub device that solely duplicates network packets to each wire.
Bridge
(nautical) An elevated platform above the upper deck of a mechanically propelled ship from which it is navigated and from which all activities on deck can be seen and controlled by the captain, etc; smaller ships have a wheelhouse, and sailing ships were controlled from a quarterdeck.
The first officer is on the bridge.
Switch
(telecommunication) A system of specialized relays, computer hardware, or other equipment which allows the interconnection of a calling party's telephone line with any called party's line.
Bridge
The piece, on string instruments, that supports the strings from the sounding board.
Switch
(genetics) A mechanism within DNA that activates or deactivates a gene.
Bridge
A particular form of one hand placed on the table to support the cue when making a shot in cue sports.
Switch
(BDSM) One who is willing to take either a submissive or a dominant role in a sexual relationship.
Bridge
A cue modified with a convex arch-shaped notched head attached to the narrow end, used to support a player's (shooter's) cue for extended or tedious shots. Also called a spider.
Switch
(historical) A separate mass or tress of hair, or of some substance (such as jute) made to resemble hair, formerly worn on the head by women.
Bridge
Anything supported at the ends and serving to keep some other thing from resting upon the object spanned, as in engraving, watchmaking, etc., or which forms a platform or staging over which something passes or is conveyed.
Switch
(card games) A variant of crazy eights where one card, such as an ace, reverses the direction of play.
Bridge
(wrestling) A defensive position in which the wrestler is supported by his feet and head, belly-up, in order to prevent touch-down of the shoulders and eventually to dislodge an opponent who has established a position on top.
Switch
(transitive) To exchange.
I want to switch this red dress for a green one.
Bridge
(gymnastics) A similar position in gymnastics.
Switch
(transitive) To change (something) to the specified state using a switch.
Switch the light on.
Bridge
A connection, real or abstract.
Switch
To whip or hit with a switch.
Bridge
(medicine) A rudimentary procedure before definite solution
ECMO is used as a bridge to surgery to stabilize the patient.
Switch
(intransitive) To change places, tasks, etc.
I want to switch to a different seat.
Bridge
(computing) A device which connects two or more computer buses, typically in a transparent manner.
This chip is the bridge between the front-side bus and the I/O bus.
Switch
To get angry suddenly; to quickly or unreasonably become enraged.
Bridge
(programming) A software component connecting two or more separate systems.
Switch
To swing or whisk.
To switch a cane
Bridge
(networking) A system which connects two or more local area networks at layer 2 of OSI model.
The LAN bridge uses a spanning tree algorithm.
Switch
To be swung or whisked.
The angry cat's tail switched back and forth.
Bridge
(chemistry) An intramolecular valence bond, atom or chain of atoms that connects two different parts of a molecule; the atoms so connected being bridgeheads.
Switch
To trim.
Bridge
(electronics) An unintended solder connection between two or more components or pins.
Switch
To turn from one railway track to another; to transfer by a switch; generally with off, from, etc.
To switch off a train; to switch a car from one track to another
Bridge
(music) A contrasting section within a song that prepares for the return of the original material section.
The lyrics in the song's bridge inverted its meaning.
In the bridge of his 2011 song "It Will Rain", Bruno Mars begs his lover not to "say goodbye."
Switch
(ecclesiastical) To shift to another circuit.
Bridge
(graph theory) An edge which, if removed, changes a connected graph to one that is not connected.
Switch
(snowboarding) Pertaining to riding with the front and back feet swapped round compared to one's normal position.
Bridge
(poetry) A point in a line where a break in a word unit cannot occur.
Switch
Pertaining to skiing backwards.
Bridge
(diplomacy) A statement, such as an offer, that signals a possibility of accord.
Switch
A small, flexible twig or rod.
Mauritania, on the fifth medal, leads a horse with something like a thread; in her other hand she holds a switch.
Bridge
A day falling between two public holidays and consequently designated as an additional holiday.
Switch
A movable part of a rail; or of opposite rails, for transferring cars from one track to another.
Bridge
(electronics) Any of several electrical devices that measure characteristics such as impedance and inductance by balancing different parts of a circuit
Switch
A separate mass or trees of hair, or of some substance (at jute) made to resemble hair, worn on the head by women.
Bridge
A low wall or vertical partition in the fire chamber of a furnace, for deflecting flame, etc.; a bridge wall.
Switch
A device for shifting an electric current to another circuit, or for making and breaking a circuit.
Bridge
(cycling) The situation where a lone rider or small group of riders closes the space between them and the rider or group in front.
Switch
To strike with a switch or small flexible rod; to whip.
Bridge
A solid crust of undissolved salt in a water softener.
Switch
To swing or whisk; as, to switch a cane.
Bridge
(roller derby) An elongated chain of teammates, connected to the pack, for improved blocking potential.
Switch
To trim, as, a hedge.
Bridge
(card games) A card game played with four players playing as two teams of two players each.
Bidding is an essential element of the game of bridge.
Switch
To turn from one railway track to another; to transfer by a switch; - generally with off, from, etc.; as, to switch off a train; to switch a car from one track to another.
Bridge
To be or make a bridge over something.
With enough cable, we can bridge this gorge.
Switch
To shift to another circuit.
Bridge
To span as if with a bridge.
The two groups were able to bridge their differences.
Switch
To walk with a jerk.
Bridge
(music) To transition from one piece or section of music to another without stopping.
We need to bridge that jam into "The Eleven".
Switch
Control consisting of a mechanical or electrical or electronic device for making or breaking or changing the connections in a circuit
Bridge
To connect two or more computer buses, networks etc. with a bridge.
Switch
An event in which one thing is substituted for another;
The replacement of lost blood by a transfusion of donor blood
Bridge
(wrestling) To go to the bridge position.
Switch
Hairpiece consisting of a tress of false hair; used by women to give shape to a coiffure
Bridge
(roller derby) To employ the bridge tactic. (See Noun section.)
Switch
Railroad track having two movable rails and necessary connections; used to turn a train from one track to another or to store rolling stock
Bridge
A structure, usually of wood, stone, brick, or iron, erected over a river or other water course, or over a chasm, railroad, etc., to make a passageway from one bank to the other.
Switch
A flexible implement used as an instrument of punishment
Bridge
Anything supported at the ends, which serves to keep some other thing from resting upon the object spanned, as in engraving, watchmaking, etc., or which forms a platform or staging over which something passes or is conveyed.
Switch
A basketball maneuver; two defensive players shift assignments so that each guards the player usually guarded by the other
Bridge
The small arch or bar at right angles to the strings of a violin, guitar, etc., serving of raise them and transmit their vibrations to the body of the instrument.
Switch
The act of changing one thing or position for another;
His switch on abortion cost him the election
Bridge
A device to measure the resistance of a wire or other conductor forming part of an electric circuit.
Switch
Change over, change around, or switch over
Bridge
A low wall or vertical partition in the fire chamber of a furnace, for deflecting flame, etc.; - usually called a bridge wall.
Switch
Exchange or give (something) in exchange for
Bridge
A card game resembling whist.
Switch
Lay aside, abandon, or leave for another;
Switch to a different brand of beer
She switched psychiatrists
The car changed lanes
Bridge
To build a bridge or bridges on or over; as, to bridge a river.
Their simple engineering bridged with felled trees the streams which could not be forded.
Switch
Make a shift in or exchange of;
First Joe led; then we switched
Bridge
To open or make a passage, as by a bridge.
Xerxes . . . over HellespontBridging his way, Europe with Asia joined.
Switch
Cause to go on or to be engaged or set in operation;
Switch on the light
Throw the lever
Bridge
To find a way of getting over, as a difficulty; - generally with over.
Switch
Flog with or as if with a flexible rod
Bridge
A structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.
Switch
Reverse (a direction, attitude, or course of action)
Bridge
A circuit consisting of two branches (4 arms arranged in a diamond configuration) across which a meter is connected
Switch
Operates at the data link layer (Layer 2) of the OSI model.
The switch uses MAC addresses to direct traffic efficiently.
Bridge
Something resembling a bridge in form or function;
His letters provided a bridge across the centuries
Switch
Includes advanced features like VLAN support.
The network administrator used VLANs on the switch to segment the network.
Bridge
The hard ridge that forms the upper part of the nose;
Her glasses left marks on the bridge of her nose
Bridge
Any of various card games based on whist for four players
Bridge
A wooden support that holds the strings up
Bridge
A denture anchored to teeth on either side of missing teeth
Bridge
The link between two lenses; rests on nose
Bridge
An upper deck where a ship is steered and the captain stands
Bridge
Connect or reduce the distance between
Bridge
Make a bridge across;
Bridge a river
Bridge
Cross over on a bridge
Bridge
Reduces collisions by segmenting traffic.
By using a bridge, the network administrator minimized traffic collisions.
Common Curiosities
What is a bridge in networking?
A bridge is a device that connects and filters traffic between two or more network segments at the data link layer.
Can a switch replace a bridge?
Yes, a switch can replace a bridge, offering more ports and greater functionality.
Which device is better for large networks?
A switch is better suited for large networks due to its advanced features and higher efficiency.
How does a bridge differ from a switch?
A bridge typically connects fewer segments and has simpler traffic management, while a switch has more ports, supports full-duplex communication, and includes advanced features like VLANs.
Can bridges and switches be used together?
Yes, they can be used together to optimize network performance and manage traffic effectively.
What is a switch in networking?
A switch is a device that connects multiple devices within a LAN, providing advanced features and efficient traffic management.
Do bridges support full-duplex communication?
Bridges usually support half-duplex communication, unlike switches that support full-duplex.
What layer do bridges and switches operate on?
Both bridges and switches operate at the data link layer (Layer 2) of the OSI model.
What type of communication do switches support?
Switches support full-duplex communication, allowing simultaneous data transmission and reception.
Are switches more expensive than bridges?
Generally, switches are more expensive due to their advanced features and capabilities.
What is the primary use of a switch?
The primary use of a switch is to connect multiple devices within a LAN efficiently, managing traffic and enhancing network performance.
What is VLAN support in switches?
VLAN support allows switches to create virtual LANs, segmenting a network into separate, isolated sections.
How do bridges manage network traffic?
Bridges manage traffic by filtering and forwarding data based on MAC addresses.
Are bridges still used in modern networks?
While less common, bridges are still used in smaller or specific network scenarios.
Do switches reduce network collisions?
Yes, switches reduce collisions by creating dedicated communication paths for devices.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
