Continue your lesson
Follow traffic from the endpoint through each device, protocol, and service in the path.
Block 1 of 1Compare Router · Ethernet switch · Firewall · Load balancer
Current · 15 min
Compare Router · Ethernet switch · Firewall · Load balancer
Optional concept notes
Router
Forwards packets between different IP networks using routes.
Cross-certificationCCNA ↔ Net+
Router
The core idea stays the same. The surrounding objective changes the evidence, decision, or task the exam asks for.
Ethernet switch
Forwards local frames according to learned MAC addresses.
Firewall
Inspects traffic between network zones and can track connection state while enforcing security policy.
Load balancer
Distributes client requests across multiple available service instances.
Complete one provider lesson, then answer four related questions. That is enough for today; more practice is optional.
Your lesson stays open here while the provider opens in another tab. Choose one source; the notes above are optional.
Practice the reasoning here
Sketch a small network or packet path. Predict the expected state, introduce one fault, and identify the observation that isolates it.
- State the expected result before changing or testing anything.
- Name the observation, command, log, or report that would confirm it.
- Explain why the closest alternative does not fit the same requirement.
Check the whole objective
This unlocks objective 1.2 for recall. The latest checkpoint needs 70% or higher; a lower result puts the lesson back near the front of your timeline.