The animated TECHTip Tutorial is available here.

A router can filter/forward/forget (drop) on both IP [Internet Protocol] 32-bit addresses and MAC [Media Access Control] 48-bit address on the LAN card (often referred as the hardware address).

A router only broadcasts to LAN packets that have addresses on that network, which reduces broadcast and collision domains.

Routers are able to route or direct packets by both IP and MAC addresses as well as by data type (email, graphics), function (file transfer, HTTP) and other variables and functions (firewall) to improve performance, reduce collisions, and control users.

About TECHtionary
TECHtionary is the world’s first and largest animated library/magazine on technology - Web Hosting Magazine’s Editor’s Choice for Technical Help. TECHtionary produces white papers, magazine articles, in-depth product reviews, training tools, and custom animations.

[tags]TECHtionary, router, collision, broadcast domain, mac address, LAN[/tags]