What is Bridging?

Bridging, in networking, is a technique to interconnect two network segments that use the same or different network protocols. It forwards data packets between these networks based on the destination MAC address. Bridges operate at the data link layer (Layer 2) of the OSI model, making them efficient for connecting networks with similar architectures, such as Ethernet to Ethernet, or Ethernet to Wi-Fi. They are commonly used to extend network coverage, improve network performance by reducing congestion, and connect different types of networks.