The access layer is the aggregation point and includes hubs and switches to connect nodes, such as workstations, to the network.

• A. Connect nodes, workstations
• B. Route traffic between networks
• C. Provide centralized storage
• D. Bridge LAN segments

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that the access layer is where end-user devices actually connect to the network. It uses devices like switches (and, in older setups, hubs) to attach workstations, printers, and other nodes to the LAN. A switch directs traffic to the correct device using MAC addresses and creates separate collision domains for each port, which keeps network traffic more efficient. Hubs, being older, simply repeat signals to all ports and share a single collision domain, which is why switches are preferred for modern access-layer connectivity.

Routing traffic between networks happens at higher layers with routers or layer-3 switches, not at the access layer. Centralized storage isn’t a function of connecting users to the network, and while switches can bridge LAN segments at layer 2, the primary purpose of the access layer is to provide direct connectivity for end-user devices to access the network.