Bridges vs Routers

What is the differences between the Bridges and Routers?
Both store-and-forward devices

• routers: network layer devices (examine network layer headers)
  
• bridges are Link Layer devices

Routers maintain routing tables, implement routing algorithms

Bridges maintain filtering tables, implement filtering, learning and spanning tree algorithms .


In addition to that, Bridge operation is simpler requiring less processing .

• Topologies are restricted with bridges: a spanning tree must be built to avoid cycles .
  
• Bridges do not offer protection from broadcast storms (endless broadcasting by a host will be forwarded by a bridge) .