Editing Broadcast domain (section)

{{Short description|Section of a computer network in which all nodes can broadcast to each other}}
{{Use American English|date = March 2019}}
{{No footnotes|date=January 2022}}

A '''broadcast domain''' is a logical division of a [[computer network]], in which all [[node (networking)|node]]s can reach each other by [[Broadcasting (networking)|broadcast]] at the [[data link layer]]. A broadcast domain can be within the same [[LAN segment]] or it can be bridged to other LAN segments.

In terms of current popular technologies, any computer connected to the same [[Ethernet repeater]] or [[network switch|switch]] is a member of the same broadcast domain. Further, any computer connected to the same set of interconnected switches or repeaters is a member of the same broadcast domain. [[Router (computing)|Router]]s and other [[network-layer]] devices form boundaries between broadcast domains.

The notion of a broadcast domain can be compared with a [[collision domain]], which would be all nodes on the same set of inter-connected repeaters and divided by switches and [[network bridge]]s. Collision domains are generally smaller than and contained within broadcast domains. While some data-link-layer devices are able to divide the collision domains, broadcast domains are only divided by network-layer devices such as routers or [[layer-3 switch]]es. Separating [[VLAN]]s divides broadcast domains as well.