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Networking Fundamentals · Foundational

Collision Domain

A network segment where frames can collide with one another; every switch port is its own collision domain.

Definition

All ports on a hub share one collision domain, while each port on a switch or bridge is a separate collision domain. With full duplex, collisions do not happen at all. Exams often ask to count collision and broadcast domains in a diagram.

Example

A 24-port switch has 24 collision domains and, without VLANs, one broadcast domain.

Exam tip

Hubs extend collision domains; switches break them up; routers break up broadcast domains.

Don't confuse it with

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