Do layer 3 protocols use layer 2 protocols?

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2
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I saw the STP on layer 2. The guy that made the tutorial says at the end :




Even though it seems that Layer 2 access layer solutions are slowly
being replaced by blazing fast Layer 3 solutions.




But when we are routing with IP on layer 3, we are then going layer 2->1 and then 1->2->.. so do we use lower layers protocols ?



Or are they used only for LAN routing ?










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  • Layer 3 delivery relies on layer 2 delivery, but layer 2 "routing" and layer 3 routing are completely different.
    – immibis
    3 hours ago














up vote
2
down vote

favorite












I saw the STP on layer 2. The guy that made the tutorial says at the end :




Even though it seems that Layer 2 access layer solutions are slowly
being replaced by blazing fast Layer 3 solutions.




But when we are routing with IP on layer 3, we are then going layer 2->1 and then 1->2->.. so do we use lower layers protocols ?



Or are they used only for LAN routing ?










share|improve this question























  • Layer 3 delivery relies on layer 2 delivery, but layer 2 "routing" and layer 3 routing are completely different.
    – immibis
    3 hours ago












up vote
2
down vote

favorite









up vote
2
down vote

favorite











I saw the STP on layer 2. The guy that made the tutorial says at the end :




Even though it seems that Layer 2 access layer solutions are slowly
being replaced by blazing fast Layer 3 solutions.




But when we are routing with IP on layer 3, we are then going layer 2->1 and then 1->2->.. so do we use lower layers protocols ?



Or are they used only for LAN routing ?










share|improve this question















I saw the STP on layer 2. The guy that made the tutorial says at the end :




Even though it seems that Layer 2 access layer solutions are slowly
being replaced by blazing fast Layer 3 solutions.




But when we are routing with IP on layer 3, we are then going layer 2->1 and then 1->2->.. so do we use lower layers protocols ?



Or are they used only for LAN routing ?







ip spanning-tree layer2 layer1 layer3






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 16 mins ago









Zac67

22.4k21250




22.4k21250










asked 9 hours ago









Romain B.

1165




1165











  • Layer 3 delivery relies on layer 2 delivery, but layer 2 "routing" and layer 3 routing are completely different.
    – immibis
    3 hours ago
















  • Layer 3 delivery relies on layer 2 delivery, but layer 2 "routing" and layer 3 routing are completely different.
    – immibis
    3 hours ago















Layer 3 delivery relies on layer 2 delivery, but layer 2 "routing" and layer 3 routing are completely different.
– immibis
3 hours ago




Layer 3 delivery relies on layer 2 delivery, but layer 2 "routing" and layer 3 routing are completely different.
– immibis
3 hours ago










3 Answers
3






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
4
down vote













Layer 3 (mostly IP) generally relies on the underlying layer-2 network (mostly Ethernet or Wi-Fi) for delivery. Just like a layer-2 network uses layer-1 links to actually move the bits.



The difference in moving data at layer 1, 2 or 3 is the complexity of the devices. Layer-1 devices (repeaters) just copied bits - simple, yet inefficient and long obsolete. Layer-2 devices (switches) intelligently forward frames and are very efficient, but layer-2 networks are limited in size. Layer-3 devices (routers) can handle networks of (theoretically) any size but their complexity initially prohibited building them in hardware. Software routers were slow and expensive. Of course, a router needs to have hardware for layers 2 and 1 as well.




Even though it seems that Layer 2 access layer solutions are slowly being replaced by blazing fast Layer 3 solutions.




This is about something different. The author describes the basic network architecture over time. Formerly, only layer-2 networks were used within a company network connected to the outside by (slow and expensive) routers. As technology advanced, routers became hardware-based and much faster. On the other hand, switches became more advanced and learned basic routing (layer-3 switching).



At the same time, networks grew much larger than they used to be, rendering the "layer 2 throughout" design obsolete - layer-2 networks only scale in a limited way.



With performance up and cost down, it became common design to use routers and layer-3 switch in the core. Today, the layer-3 approach has grown outside from the core into the aggregation layer, enabling even larger networks. The next step is to also use routing instead of switching in the access layer where the clients are connected.



Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is very useful to organize your layer-2 connections. It takes care of preventing bridge loops in case of redundant mesh links in your network - bridge loops usually cause broadcast storms and MAC table instabilities that can take down your entire network.



With a network using layer-3 connections exclusively, you wouldn't need STP - but that would mean that each link is a subnet of its own and all connections between links are routed. While this is reasonable between the core and the aggregation layer and possibly between aggregation and access, it's rather pointless on the access layer towards the clients.






share|improve this answer





























    up vote
    2
    down vote













    It used to be, "Switch where you can, route where you must." That has been turned on its head. Of course, an interface, even on a layer-3 router, uses both layer-1 and layer-2 protocols. I think the idea is that the current best practices are moving toward routing all the way to the access switch. Within the access switch, you are still layer-2, but the access switches connect to the distribution via layer-3 connections and routing, and access switches do not connect to each other.



    That means that a VLAN exists only on the single access switch, You can have multiple VLANs on a single access switch, but those VLANs do not extend to any other access switches. This will almost completely remove any STP or other layer-2 problems, e.g. broadcast storms, that can bring an entire site to its knees. We live in a layer-3 world, and it is now rare to have an application that needs the same VLAN across all the hosts. We route across the Internet, so why not route in your own network?



    The reason it has been changing is that we now have a lot of layer-3 switches used as access switches that can route to the distribution.






    share|improve this answer




















    • Do we still use layer 2 protocols in LAN ?
      – Romain B.
      8 hours ago






    • 1




      Yes we do, Ethernet and 802.11 (Wi-Fi) are layer 2 protocols.
      – Ron Trunk
      8 hours ago










    • So when I'm connected on ethernet and I'm sending a packet, it's routed using layer 2 protocol until it reaches the router and then it uses IP routing ?
      – Romain B.
      8 hours ago










    • Layer-2 doesn't route, it bridges frames. Layer-3 routes packets.
      – Ron Maupin♦
      8 hours ago






    • 1




      Yes, bridges bridge frames using a table, or flooding of the frame if the destination is not in the table. The frames do not include a bridge ID. That is part of STP, and it is in the BPDUs sent by bridges to each other in order to determine a loop-free path. Bridges only look at the frame to forward the frames, but routers strip off the frame to get to the packet.
      – Ron Maupin♦
      8 hours ago

















    up vote
    2
    down vote













    The quote you quoted is simply misleading. All modern network devices transmit data at wire speed, so they're all "blazing fast." Whether it's layer 2 or 3 makes no difference in data rates.



    A host will create data, and then encapsulate it in a lower level protocol data unit. So TCP gets encapsulated in IP, which gets encapsulated in 802.11, etc. It's all 1's and 0's when it leaves the computer. The receiving host reverses the process and de-encapsulates the data as it moves up the protocol software stack.






    share|improve this answer




















    • Yes, I think he meant how long it takes to get a spanning tree using the protocol
      – Romain B.
      8 hours ago










    • Rapid Spanning Tree protocol (802.3w) is a significant improvement on convergence time.
      – Ron Trunk
      8 hours ago










    • It most likely isn't misleading in the context in which it appeared, which I expect is about replacing layer 2 routing algorithms (which are simplistic) with layer 3 routing algorithms (which are more advanced). A layer 2 network is one with mostly switches and a layer 3 network is one with mostly routers - of course there is a very simple layer-2 network between each pair of routers, but if you're not doing any layer 2 switching then it's irrelevant.
      – immibis
      3 hours ago










    • @immibis There is no routing at layer 2 because routing is a layer 3 function.
      – Ron Trunk
      2 hours ago










    • @RonTrunk Fine then, layer 2 and layer 3 forwarding algorithms. Or if that doesn't work either, layer 2 and layer 3 algorithms to determine where to send a packet.
      – immibis
      1 hour ago










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    3 Answers
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    3 Answers
    3






    active

    oldest

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    active

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    up vote
    4
    down vote













    Layer 3 (mostly IP) generally relies on the underlying layer-2 network (mostly Ethernet or Wi-Fi) for delivery. Just like a layer-2 network uses layer-1 links to actually move the bits.



    The difference in moving data at layer 1, 2 or 3 is the complexity of the devices. Layer-1 devices (repeaters) just copied bits - simple, yet inefficient and long obsolete. Layer-2 devices (switches) intelligently forward frames and are very efficient, but layer-2 networks are limited in size. Layer-3 devices (routers) can handle networks of (theoretically) any size but their complexity initially prohibited building them in hardware. Software routers were slow and expensive. Of course, a router needs to have hardware for layers 2 and 1 as well.




    Even though it seems that Layer 2 access layer solutions are slowly being replaced by blazing fast Layer 3 solutions.




    This is about something different. The author describes the basic network architecture over time. Formerly, only layer-2 networks were used within a company network connected to the outside by (slow and expensive) routers. As technology advanced, routers became hardware-based and much faster. On the other hand, switches became more advanced and learned basic routing (layer-3 switching).



    At the same time, networks grew much larger than they used to be, rendering the "layer 2 throughout" design obsolete - layer-2 networks only scale in a limited way.



    With performance up and cost down, it became common design to use routers and layer-3 switch in the core. Today, the layer-3 approach has grown outside from the core into the aggregation layer, enabling even larger networks. The next step is to also use routing instead of switching in the access layer where the clients are connected.



    Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is very useful to organize your layer-2 connections. It takes care of preventing bridge loops in case of redundant mesh links in your network - bridge loops usually cause broadcast storms and MAC table instabilities that can take down your entire network.



    With a network using layer-3 connections exclusively, you wouldn't need STP - but that would mean that each link is a subnet of its own and all connections between links are routed. While this is reasonable between the core and the aggregation layer and possibly between aggregation and access, it's rather pointless on the access layer towards the clients.






    share|improve this answer


























      up vote
      4
      down vote













      Layer 3 (mostly IP) generally relies on the underlying layer-2 network (mostly Ethernet or Wi-Fi) for delivery. Just like a layer-2 network uses layer-1 links to actually move the bits.



      The difference in moving data at layer 1, 2 or 3 is the complexity of the devices. Layer-1 devices (repeaters) just copied bits - simple, yet inefficient and long obsolete. Layer-2 devices (switches) intelligently forward frames and are very efficient, but layer-2 networks are limited in size. Layer-3 devices (routers) can handle networks of (theoretically) any size but their complexity initially prohibited building them in hardware. Software routers were slow and expensive. Of course, a router needs to have hardware for layers 2 and 1 as well.




      Even though it seems that Layer 2 access layer solutions are slowly being replaced by blazing fast Layer 3 solutions.




      This is about something different. The author describes the basic network architecture over time. Formerly, only layer-2 networks were used within a company network connected to the outside by (slow and expensive) routers. As technology advanced, routers became hardware-based and much faster. On the other hand, switches became more advanced and learned basic routing (layer-3 switching).



      At the same time, networks grew much larger than they used to be, rendering the "layer 2 throughout" design obsolete - layer-2 networks only scale in a limited way.



      With performance up and cost down, it became common design to use routers and layer-3 switch in the core. Today, the layer-3 approach has grown outside from the core into the aggregation layer, enabling even larger networks. The next step is to also use routing instead of switching in the access layer where the clients are connected.



      Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is very useful to organize your layer-2 connections. It takes care of preventing bridge loops in case of redundant mesh links in your network - bridge loops usually cause broadcast storms and MAC table instabilities that can take down your entire network.



      With a network using layer-3 connections exclusively, you wouldn't need STP - but that would mean that each link is a subnet of its own and all connections between links are routed. While this is reasonable between the core and the aggregation layer and possibly between aggregation and access, it's rather pointless on the access layer towards the clients.






      share|improve this answer
























        up vote
        4
        down vote










        up vote
        4
        down vote









        Layer 3 (mostly IP) generally relies on the underlying layer-2 network (mostly Ethernet or Wi-Fi) for delivery. Just like a layer-2 network uses layer-1 links to actually move the bits.



        The difference in moving data at layer 1, 2 or 3 is the complexity of the devices. Layer-1 devices (repeaters) just copied bits - simple, yet inefficient and long obsolete. Layer-2 devices (switches) intelligently forward frames and are very efficient, but layer-2 networks are limited in size. Layer-3 devices (routers) can handle networks of (theoretically) any size but their complexity initially prohibited building them in hardware. Software routers were slow and expensive. Of course, a router needs to have hardware for layers 2 and 1 as well.




        Even though it seems that Layer 2 access layer solutions are slowly being replaced by blazing fast Layer 3 solutions.




        This is about something different. The author describes the basic network architecture over time. Formerly, only layer-2 networks were used within a company network connected to the outside by (slow and expensive) routers. As technology advanced, routers became hardware-based and much faster. On the other hand, switches became more advanced and learned basic routing (layer-3 switching).



        At the same time, networks grew much larger than they used to be, rendering the "layer 2 throughout" design obsolete - layer-2 networks only scale in a limited way.



        With performance up and cost down, it became common design to use routers and layer-3 switch in the core. Today, the layer-3 approach has grown outside from the core into the aggregation layer, enabling even larger networks. The next step is to also use routing instead of switching in the access layer where the clients are connected.



        Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is very useful to organize your layer-2 connections. It takes care of preventing bridge loops in case of redundant mesh links in your network - bridge loops usually cause broadcast storms and MAC table instabilities that can take down your entire network.



        With a network using layer-3 connections exclusively, you wouldn't need STP - but that would mean that each link is a subnet of its own and all connections between links are routed. While this is reasonable between the core and the aggregation layer and possibly between aggregation and access, it's rather pointless on the access layer towards the clients.






        share|improve this answer














        Layer 3 (mostly IP) generally relies on the underlying layer-2 network (mostly Ethernet or Wi-Fi) for delivery. Just like a layer-2 network uses layer-1 links to actually move the bits.



        The difference in moving data at layer 1, 2 or 3 is the complexity of the devices. Layer-1 devices (repeaters) just copied bits - simple, yet inefficient and long obsolete. Layer-2 devices (switches) intelligently forward frames and are very efficient, but layer-2 networks are limited in size. Layer-3 devices (routers) can handle networks of (theoretically) any size but their complexity initially prohibited building them in hardware. Software routers were slow and expensive. Of course, a router needs to have hardware for layers 2 and 1 as well.




        Even though it seems that Layer 2 access layer solutions are slowly being replaced by blazing fast Layer 3 solutions.




        This is about something different. The author describes the basic network architecture over time. Formerly, only layer-2 networks were used within a company network connected to the outside by (slow and expensive) routers. As technology advanced, routers became hardware-based and much faster. On the other hand, switches became more advanced and learned basic routing (layer-3 switching).



        At the same time, networks grew much larger than they used to be, rendering the "layer 2 throughout" design obsolete - layer-2 networks only scale in a limited way.



        With performance up and cost down, it became common design to use routers and layer-3 switch in the core. Today, the layer-3 approach has grown outside from the core into the aggregation layer, enabling even larger networks. The next step is to also use routing instead of switching in the access layer where the clients are connected.



        Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is very useful to organize your layer-2 connections. It takes care of preventing bridge loops in case of redundant mesh links in your network - bridge loops usually cause broadcast storms and MAC table instabilities that can take down your entire network.



        With a network using layer-3 connections exclusively, you wouldn't need STP - but that would mean that each link is a subnet of its own and all connections between links are routed. While this is reasonable between the core and the aggregation layer and possibly between aggregation and access, it's rather pointless on the access layer towards the clients.







        share|improve this answer














        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer








        edited 5 mins ago

























        answered 8 hours ago









        Zac67

        22.4k21250




        22.4k21250




















            up vote
            2
            down vote













            It used to be, "Switch where you can, route where you must." That has been turned on its head. Of course, an interface, even on a layer-3 router, uses both layer-1 and layer-2 protocols. I think the idea is that the current best practices are moving toward routing all the way to the access switch. Within the access switch, you are still layer-2, but the access switches connect to the distribution via layer-3 connections and routing, and access switches do not connect to each other.



            That means that a VLAN exists only on the single access switch, You can have multiple VLANs on a single access switch, but those VLANs do not extend to any other access switches. This will almost completely remove any STP or other layer-2 problems, e.g. broadcast storms, that can bring an entire site to its knees. We live in a layer-3 world, and it is now rare to have an application that needs the same VLAN across all the hosts. We route across the Internet, so why not route in your own network?



            The reason it has been changing is that we now have a lot of layer-3 switches used as access switches that can route to the distribution.






            share|improve this answer




















            • Do we still use layer 2 protocols in LAN ?
              – Romain B.
              8 hours ago






            • 1




              Yes we do, Ethernet and 802.11 (Wi-Fi) are layer 2 protocols.
              – Ron Trunk
              8 hours ago










            • So when I'm connected on ethernet and I'm sending a packet, it's routed using layer 2 protocol until it reaches the router and then it uses IP routing ?
              – Romain B.
              8 hours ago










            • Layer-2 doesn't route, it bridges frames. Layer-3 routes packets.
              – Ron Maupin♦
              8 hours ago






            • 1




              Yes, bridges bridge frames using a table, or flooding of the frame if the destination is not in the table. The frames do not include a bridge ID. That is part of STP, and it is in the BPDUs sent by bridges to each other in order to determine a loop-free path. Bridges only look at the frame to forward the frames, but routers strip off the frame to get to the packet.
              – Ron Maupin♦
              8 hours ago














            up vote
            2
            down vote













            It used to be, "Switch where you can, route where you must." That has been turned on its head. Of course, an interface, even on a layer-3 router, uses both layer-1 and layer-2 protocols. I think the idea is that the current best practices are moving toward routing all the way to the access switch. Within the access switch, you are still layer-2, but the access switches connect to the distribution via layer-3 connections and routing, and access switches do not connect to each other.



            That means that a VLAN exists only on the single access switch, You can have multiple VLANs on a single access switch, but those VLANs do not extend to any other access switches. This will almost completely remove any STP or other layer-2 problems, e.g. broadcast storms, that can bring an entire site to its knees. We live in a layer-3 world, and it is now rare to have an application that needs the same VLAN across all the hosts. We route across the Internet, so why not route in your own network?



            The reason it has been changing is that we now have a lot of layer-3 switches used as access switches that can route to the distribution.






            share|improve this answer




















            • Do we still use layer 2 protocols in LAN ?
              – Romain B.
              8 hours ago






            • 1




              Yes we do, Ethernet and 802.11 (Wi-Fi) are layer 2 protocols.
              – Ron Trunk
              8 hours ago










            • So when I'm connected on ethernet and I'm sending a packet, it's routed using layer 2 protocol until it reaches the router and then it uses IP routing ?
              – Romain B.
              8 hours ago










            • Layer-2 doesn't route, it bridges frames. Layer-3 routes packets.
              – Ron Maupin♦
              8 hours ago






            • 1




              Yes, bridges bridge frames using a table, or flooding of the frame if the destination is not in the table. The frames do not include a bridge ID. That is part of STP, and it is in the BPDUs sent by bridges to each other in order to determine a loop-free path. Bridges only look at the frame to forward the frames, but routers strip off the frame to get to the packet.
              – Ron Maupin♦
              8 hours ago












            up vote
            2
            down vote










            up vote
            2
            down vote









            It used to be, "Switch where you can, route where you must." That has been turned on its head. Of course, an interface, even on a layer-3 router, uses both layer-1 and layer-2 protocols. I think the idea is that the current best practices are moving toward routing all the way to the access switch. Within the access switch, you are still layer-2, but the access switches connect to the distribution via layer-3 connections and routing, and access switches do not connect to each other.



            That means that a VLAN exists only on the single access switch, You can have multiple VLANs on a single access switch, but those VLANs do not extend to any other access switches. This will almost completely remove any STP or other layer-2 problems, e.g. broadcast storms, that can bring an entire site to its knees. We live in a layer-3 world, and it is now rare to have an application that needs the same VLAN across all the hosts. We route across the Internet, so why not route in your own network?



            The reason it has been changing is that we now have a lot of layer-3 switches used as access switches that can route to the distribution.






            share|improve this answer












            It used to be, "Switch where you can, route where you must." That has been turned on its head. Of course, an interface, even on a layer-3 router, uses both layer-1 and layer-2 protocols. I think the idea is that the current best practices are moving toward routing all the way to the access switch. Within the access switch, you are still layer-2, but the access switches connect to the distribution via layer-3 connections and routing, and access switches do not connect to each other.



            That means that a VLAN exists only on the single access switch, You can have multiple VLANs on a single access switch, but those VLANs do not extend to any other access switches. This will almost completely remove any STP or other layer-2 problems, e.g. broadcast storms, that can bring an entire site to its knees. We live in a layer-3 world, and it is now rare to have an application that needs the same VLAN across all the hosts. We route across the Internet, so why not route in your own network?



            The reason it has been changing is that we now have a lot of layer-3 switches used as access switches that can route to the distribution.







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered 8 hours ago









            Ron Maupin♦

            58.8k1058106




            58.8k1058106











            • Do we still use layer 2 protocols in LAN ?
              – Romain B.
              8 hours ago






            • 1




              Yes we do, Ethernet and 802.11 (Wi-Fi) are layer 2 protocols.
              – Ron Trunk
              8 hours ago










            • So when I'm connected on ethernet and I'm sending a packet, it's routed using layer 2 protocol until it reaches the router and then it uses IP routing ?
              – Romain B.
              8 hours ago










            • Layer-2 doesn't route, it bridges frames. Layer-3 routes packets.
              – Ron Maupin♦
              8 hours ago






            • 1




              Yes, bridges bridge frames using a table, or flooding of the frame if the destination is not in the table. The frames do not include a bridge ID. That is part of STP, and it is in the BPDUs sent by bridges to each other in order to determine a loop-free path. Bridges only look at the frame to forward the frames, but routers strip off the frame to get to the packet.
              – Ron Maupin♦
              8 hours ago
















            • Do we still use layer 2 protocols in LAN ?
              – Romain B.
              8 hours ago






            • 1




              Yes we do, Ethernet and 802.11 (Wi-Fi) are layer 2 protocols.
              – Ron Trunk
              8 hours ago










            • So when I'm connected on ethernet and I'm sending a packet, it's routed using layer 2 protocol until it reaches the router and then it uses IP routing ?
              – Romain B.
              8 hours ago










            • Layer-2 doesn't route, it bridges frames. Layer-3 routes packets.
              – Ron Maupin♦
              8 hours ago






            • 1




              Yes, bridges bridge frames using a table, or flooding of the frame if the destination is not in the table. The frames do not include a bridge ID. That is part of STP, and it is in the BPDUs sent by bridges to each other in order to determine a loop-free path. Bridges only look at the frame to forward the frames, but routers strip off the frame to get to the packet.
              – Ron Maupin♦
              8 hours ago















            Do we still use layer 2 protocols in LAN ?
            – Romain B.
            8 hours ago




            Do we still use layer 2 protocols in LAN ?
            – Romain B.
            8 hours ago




            1




            1




            Yes we do, Ethernet and 802.11 (Wi-Fi) are layer 2 protocols.
            – Ron Trunk
            8 hours ago




            Yes we do, Ethernet and 802.11 (Wi-Fi) are layer 2 protocols.
            – Ron Trunk
            8 hours ago












            So when I'm connected on ethernet and I'm sending a packet, it's routed using layer 2 protocol until it reaches the router and then it uses IP routing ?
            – Romain B.
            8 hours ago




            So when I'm connected on ethernet and I'm sending a packet, it's routed using layer 2 protocol until it reaches the router and then it uses IP routing ?
            – Romain B.
            8 hours ago












            Layer-2 doesn't route, it bridges frames. Layer-3 routes packets.
            – Ron Maupin♦
            8 hours ago




            Layer-2 doesn't route, it bridges frames. Layer-3 routes packets.
            – Ron Maupin♦
            8 hours ago




            1




            1




            Yes, bridges bridge frames using a table, or flooding of the frame if the destination is not in the table. The frames do not include a bridge ID. That is part of STP, and it is in the BPDUs sent by bridges to each other in order to determine a loop-free path. Bridges only look at the frame to forward the frames, but routers strip off the frame to get to the packet.
            – Ron Maupin♦
            8 hours ago




            Yes, bridges bridge frames using a table, or flooding of the frame if the destination is not in the table. The frames do not include a bridge ID. That is part of STP, and it is in the BPDUs sent by bridges to each other in order to determine a loop-free path. Bridges only look at the frame to forward the frames, but routers strip off the frame to get to the packet.
            – Ron Maupin♦
            8 hours ago










            up vote
            2
            down vote













            The quote you quoted is simply misleading. All modern network devices transmit data at wire speed, so they're all "blazing fast." Whether it's layer 2 or 3 makes no difference in data rates.



            A host will create data, and then encapsulate it in a lower level protocol data unit. So TCP gets encapsulated in IP, which gets encapsulated in 802.11, etc. It's all 1's and 0's when it leaves the computer. The receiving host reverses the process and de-encapsulates the data as it moves up the protocol software stack.






            share|improve this answer




















            • Yes, I think he meant how long it takes to get a spanning tree using the protocol
              – Romain B.
              8 hours ago










            • Rapid Spanning Tree protocol (802.3w) is a significant improvement on convergence time.
              – Ron Trunk
              8 hours ago










            • It most likely isn't misleading in the context in which it appeared, which I expect is about replacing layer 2 routing algorithms (which are simplistic) with layer 3 routing algorithms (which are more advanced). A layer 2 network is one with mostly switches and a layer 3 network is one with mostly routers - of course there is a very simple layer-2 network between each pair of routers, but if you're not doing any layer 2 switching then it's irrelevant.
              – immibis
              3 hours ago










            • @immibis There is no routing at layer 2 because routing is a layer 3 function.
              – Ron Trunk
              2 hours ago










            • @RonTrunk Fine then, layer 2 and layer 3 forwarding algorithms. Or if that doesn't work either, layer 2 and layer 3 algorithms to determine where to send a packet.
              – immibis
              1 hour ago














            up vote
            2
            down vote













            The quote you quoted is simply misleading. All modern network devices transmit data at wire speed, so they're all "blazing fast." Whether it's layer 2 or 3 makes no difference in data rates.



            A host will create data, and then encapsulate it in a lower level protocol data unit. So TCP gets encapsulated in IP, which gets encapsulated in 802.11, etc. It's all 1's and 0's when it leaves the computer. The receiving host reverses the process and de-encapsulates the data as it moves up the protocol software stack.






            share|improve this answer




















            • Yes, I think he meant how long it takes to get a spanning tree using the protocol
              – Romain B.
              8 hours ago










            • Rapid Spanning Tree protocol (802.3w) is a significant improvement on convergence time.
              – Ron Trunk
              8 hours ago










            • It most likely isn't misleading in the context in which it appeared, which I expect is about replacing layer 2 routing algorithms (which are simplistic) with layer 3 routing algorithms (which are more advanced). A layer 2 network is one with mostly switches and a layer 3 network is one with mostly routers - of course there is a very simple layer-2 network between each pair of routers, but if you're not doing any layer 2 switching then it's irrelevant.
              – immibis
              3 hours ago










            • @immibis There is no routing at layer 2 because routing is a layer 3 function.
              – Ron Trunk
              2 hours ago










            • @RonTrunk Fine then, layer 2 and layer 3 forwarding algorithms. Or if that doesn't work either, layer 2 and layer 3 algorithms to determine where to send a packet.
              – immibis
              1 hour ago












            up vote
            2
            down vote










            up vote
            2
            down vote









            The quote you quoted is simply misleading. All modern network devices transmit data at wire speed, so they're all "blazing fast." Whether it's layer 2 or 3 makes no difference in data rates.



            A host will create data, and then encapsulate it in a lower level protocol data unit. So TCP gets encapsulated in IP, which gets encapsulated in 802.11, etc. It's all 1's and 0's when it leaves the computer. The receiving host reverses the process and de-encapsulates the data as it moves up the protocol software stack.






            share|improve this answer












            The quote you quoted is simply misleading. All modern network devices transmit data at wire speed, so they're all "blazing fast." Whether it's layer 2 or 3 makes no difference in data rates.



            A host will create data, and then encapsulate it in a lower level protocol data unit. So TCP gets encapsulated in IP, which gets encapsulated in 802.11, etc. It's all 1's and 0's when it leaves the computer. The receiving host reverses the process and de-encapsulates the data as it moves up the protocol software stack.







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered 8 hours ago









            Ron Trunk

            32.3k22868




            32.3k22868











            • Yes, I think he meant how long it takes to get a spanning tree using the protocol
              – Romain B.
              8 hours ago










            • Rapid Spanning Tree protocol (802.3w) is a significant improvement on convergence time.
              – Ron Trunk
              8 hours ago










            • It most likely isn't misleading in the context in which it appeared, which I expect is about replacing layer 2 routing algorithms (which are simplistic) with layer 3 routing algorithms (which are more advanced). A layer 2 network is one with mostly switches and a layer 3 network is one with mostly routers - of course there is a very simple layer-2 network between each pair of routers, but if you're not doing any layer 2 switching then it's irrelevant.
              – immibis
              3 hours ago










            • @immibis There is no routing at layer 2 because routing is a layer 3 function.
              – Ron Trunk
              2 hours ago










            • @RonTrunk Fine then, layer 2 and layer 3 forwarding algorithms. Or if that doesn't work either, layer 2 and layer 3 algorithms to determine where to send a packet.
              – immibis
              1 hour ago
















            • Yes, I think he meant how long it takes to get a spanning tree using the protocol
              – Romain B.
              8 hours ago










            • Rapid Spanning Tree protocol (802.3w) is a significant improvement on convergence time.
              – Ron Trunk
              8 hours ago










            • It most likely isn't misleading in the context in which it appeared, which I expect is about replacing layer 2 routing algorithms (which are simplistic) with layer 3 routing algorithms (which are more advanced). A layer 2 network is one with mostly switches and a layer 3 network is one with mostly routers - of course there is a very simple layer-2 network between each pair of routers, but if you're not doing any layer 2 switching then it's irrelevant.
              – immibis
              3 hours ago










            • @immibis There is no routing at layer 2 because routing is a layer 3 function.
              – Ron Trunk
              2 hours ago










            • @RonTrunk Fine then, layer 2 and layer 3 forwarding algorithms. Or if that doesn't work either, layer 2 and layer 3 algorithms to determine where to send a packet.
              – immibis
              1 hour ago















            Yes, I think he meant how long it takes to get a spanning tree using the protocol
            – Romain B.
            8 hours ago




            Yes, I think he meant how long it takes to get a spanning tree using the protocol
            – Romain B.
            8 hours ago












            Rapid Spanning Tree protocol (802.3w) is a significant improvement on convergence time.
            – Ron Trunk
            8 hours ago




            Rapid Spanning Tree protocol (802.3w) is a significant improvement on convergence time.
            – Ron Trunk
            8 hours ago












            It most likely isn't misleading in the context in which it appeared, which I expect is about replacing layer 2 routing algorithms (which are simplistic) with layer 3 routing algorithms (which are more advanced). A layer 2 network is one with mostly switches and a layer 3 network is one with mostly routers - of course there is a very simple layer-2 network between each pair of routers, but if you're not doing any layer 2 switching then it's irrelevant.
            – immibis
            3 hours ago




            It most likely isn't misleading in the context in which it appeared, which I expect is about replacing layer 2 routing algorithms (which are simplistic) with layer 3 routing algorithms (which are more advanced). A layer 2 network is one with mostly switches and a layer 3 network is one with mostly routers - of course there is a very simple layer-2 network between each pair of routers, but if you're not doing any layer 2 switching then it's irrelevant.
            – immibis
            3 hours ago












            @immibis There is no routing at layer 2 because routing is a layer 3 function.
            – Ron Trunk
            2 hours ago




            @immibis There is no routing at layer 2 because routing is a layer 3 function.
            – Ron Trunk
            2 hours ago












            @RonTrunk Fine then, layer 2 and layer 3 forwarding algorithms. Or if that doesn't work either, layer 2 and layer 3 algorithms to determine where to send a packet.
            – immibis
            1 hour ago




            @RonTrunk Fine then, layer 2 and layer 3 forwarding algorithms. Or if that doesn't work either, layer 2 and layer 3 algorithms to determine where to send a packet.
            – immibis
            1 hour ago

















             

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