What process locates the correct host on a local network and forwards traffic using its MAC address?

The process that locates the correct host on a local network and forwards traffic using its MAC address is known as ARP (Address Resolution Protocol). When a device wants to communicate with another device on the same local area network but only knows the IP address, it uses an ARP broadcast to request the corresponding MAC address from any device that recognizes the IP address in question.

In an ARP broadcast, the sender sends out a packet to all devices on the local network segment, asking, "Who has this IP address? Please send me your MAC address." The device that owns that IP address will respond directly to the sender with its MAC address, enabling effective communication over the network. This process is fundamental to how local networks operate, as it allows devices to resolve IP addresses into the required MAC addresses necessary for data link layer communication.

Dynamic ARP Inspection and DHCP Snooping are both security features that help protect against ARP spoofing and DHCP-related attacks, respectively, but they do not themselves perform the function of locating hosts and forwarding traffic based on MAC addresses. A router is a networking device that connects different networks and forwards packets between them based on IP addresses, not MAC addresses at the local level. Therefore, the most accurate representation of the described function