What does a switch look up in the CAM table to forward a frame?
Choose an answer
Tap an option to check your answer.
Correct answer: destination MAC and destination port.
Why this is the answer
A switch uses the destination MAC address to find the corresponding port in its CAM (Content Addressable Memory) table. The CAM table maps MAC addresses to the specific switch ports where those devices are connected. When a frame arrives, the switch extracts the destination MAC address from the frame header and searches its CAM table. If a match is found, the switch forwards the frame only out of the port associated with that destination MAC address, preventing unnecessary traffic on other ports. If no match is found, the switch floods the frame out of all ports except the one it arrived on. The other options are incorrect because the source MAC and aging time are used for populating and maintaining the CAM table, not for forwarding decisions. Source MAC and source port are used to learn where devices are connected.
Pass your exam — without the endless answer hunt
Get every verified question and explanation for this exam in one place, and save hours of prep. 1,000+ certifications · 20+ languages · free to start.
Pass your exam faster → No card needed