Which device uses network addresses to make forwarding decisions?

Routers are designed to use network addresses, specifically IP addresses, to make forwarding decisions regarding the data packets they handle. When a packet arrives at a router, the device examines the destination IP address of the packet and then determines the best next hop towards that destination based on its routing table. This routing table contains information about the network topology, including available routes and their associated metrics.

In contrast, hubs operate at the physical layer and simply transmit data packets to all connected devices without any consideration of network addressing. Switches, while more intelligent than hubs and capable of making forwarding decisions based on MAC addresses, do not use IP addresses for their operations. Firewalls are security devices that also evaluate traffic based on rules, which may involve network addresses for filtering purposes, but they do not primarily function to forward packets like routers do. Thus, the unique capability of routers to make decisions based on network addresses defines their role in networking.