Bridge

A bridge is an internetworking device that connects two or more networking segments using the same or different media. The bridge can be either software residing on a PC, or a pre-built box containing a microprocessor and software. Bridges operate at Layer 2 of the Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) model and can be classified as Source Routing (IBM world), Transparent (non-IBM world) or Source Routing Transparent (combination of the other two).

Bridges can also be used in voice and video conferencing. In this context, bridges connect three or more telecommunications channels.

Print Resources

• LAN Times Encyclopedia of Networking by Tom Sheldon. Osborne McGraw-Hill. 1994. (ISBN 0-07-881965-2).
• Interconnections Bridges and Router by Radia Perlman. Addison-Wesley. 1993.