Ethernet Frame Question

Modulus

Network example diagram:
PC -> Switch -> Firewall -> DSL Modem

Default gateway is set to the IP of the firewall.

The NIC on the PC builds an Ethernet frame to transmit an IP packet.

What is the destination MAC address of the Ethernet frame? Is it the switch MAC or the firewall MAC?

Thanks,
Modulus

Zartanasaurus

The destination MAC will always be the MAC of the next hop IP address.

Darril

A switch doesn't have a media access control (MAC) address assigned. As Zartanasaurus mentions, the destination MAC is the next hop, or said another way, the next router. In this example, the next router is the firewall.