What is the difference between access ports and trunk ports?

Access ports and trunk ports serve distinct roles within VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) configurations on switches. Access ports are designed to carry traffic from a single VLAN. This means that any device connected to an access port will communicate as part of that specific VLAN only, making it ideal for end-user devices like computers and printers.

On the other hand, trunk ports are configured to carry traffic from multiple VLANs simultaneously. This is essential for scenarios where a switch needs to communicate with other switches, or when multiple VLANs need to share a single physical link. Trunk ports utilize tagging methods, such as IEEE 802.1Q, to identify which packet belongs to which VLAN.

This distinction is crucial in network design to ensure that broadcast domains are appropriately segmented and managed, facilitating efficient data flow while maintaining organizational structure within the network. Understanding this difference is vital in both practical networking scenarios and in preparing for exams, as it forms the basis for effective VLAN management and overall network architecture.