Which device can perform inter-VLAN routing without needing an external router?

Which device can perform inter-VLAN routing without needing an external router?

• A. Router on a Stick
• B. Layer 3 Switch
• C. BPDU Guard
• D. 10BASE-T

Answer: (B)

Routing between VLANs requires a device that can perform IP routing. A Layer 3 switch provides both switching and routing capabilities in one box, so it can handle inter-VLAN routing directly. You configure an SVI (Switched Virtual Interface) for each VLAN and assign an IP address to each, then enable IP routing on the switch. The switch uses its routing function to forward traffic between VLANs without needing an external router, delivering fast, hardware-based inter-VLAN routing. For comparison, a router on a stick relies on an external router and a trunk link to route between VLANs, so it isn’t the best fit when you want to avoid an external router. BPDU Guard is a security feature for preventing certain switch-loop issues, not for routing between VLANs. 10BASE-T is just a legacy physical Ethernet standard and has no routing capability.

Routing between VLANs requires a device that can perform IP routing. A Layer 3 switch provides both switching and routing capabilities in one box, so it can handle inter-VLAN routing directly. You configure an SVI (Switched Virtual Interface) for each VLAN and assign an IP address to each, then enable IP routing on the switch. The switch uses its routing function to forward traffic between VLANs without needing an external router, delivering fast, hardware-based inter-VLAN routing.

For comparison, a router on a stick relies on an external router and a trunk link to route between VLANs, so it isn’t the best fit when you want to avoid an external router. BPDU Guard is a security feature for preventing certain switch-loop issues, not for routing between VLANs. 10BASE-T is just a legacy physical Ethernet standard and has no routing capability.