Advantages of Network Bridges | disadvantages of Bridges
This page covers advantages and disadvantages of Network Bridges. It mentions Bridges advantages or benefits and Bridges disadvantages or drawbacks. It also describes Bridges basics.
What is Network Bridge?
Introduction:
This networking device uses bridge table or forwarding database to transmit
frames across various network segments. It broadcasts traffic from one network segment
to the other as well as manages them unlike hub which simply broadcasts.
It operates at layer-2 i.e. data link layer of OSI stack.

The figure-1 depicts network bridge connecting two different LAN segments. Refer Network Bridges >> which describe procedure followed by network bridge to transport data between segments.
Benefits or advantages of Bridges | advantages of Network Bridges
Following are the benefits or advantages of Network Bridges:
➨It helps in extension of physical network.
➨It reduces network traffic with minor segmentation.
➨It creates separate collision domains.
Hence it increases available bandwidth to individual nodes as fewer nodes share a collision
domain.
➨It reduces collisions.
➨Some bridges connect networks having different architectures and media types.
Drawbacks or disadvantages of Bridges | disadvantages of Network Bridges
Following are the disadvantages of Bridges:
➨It is slower compare to repeaters due to filtering.
➨It does not filter broadcasts.
➨It is more expensive compare to repeaters.
Advantages and Disadvantages of other wireless technologies
Networking Links
• Circuit Switching vs Packet switching • Packet Switching vs Message switching • What is an IP address • What is MAC Address • Basics of OSI and TCP-IP Layers • What is Hub • What is Switch • What is Bridge • What is Router • What is Gateway • Firewall basics • TCP-IP Packet format • ARP Protocol format
What is Difference between
FTP vs HTTP FTP vs SMTP FTP vs TFTP hub Vs. switch TCP vs UDP