Will a Layer 2 switch forward traffic between VLANs?

A Layer 2 switch operates at the data link layer of the OSI model and is primarily responsible for forwarding Ethernet frames within the same local area network (LAN). This functionality is limited to devices within the same VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network). When it comes to VLANs, Layer 2 switches segregate broadcast domains based on the configured VLANs but do not have the capability to route traffic between them.

In order to forward traffic between different VLANs, a Layer 3 device, such as a router or a Layer 3 switch, is required. These devices perform routing functions – interpreting the destination IP address and determining the appropriate path for the packets to reach a different VLAN.

For this reason, saying that a Layer 2 switch will not forward traffic between VLANs is accurate, as it does not possess the routing capabilities necessary to facilitate communication between those separate broadcast domains. This clear distinction between the functionalities of Layer 2 and Layer 3 devices is crucial for network design and management.