Western Governors University (WGU) ITEC2112 D315 Network and Security - Foundations Pre-assessment Practice Exam

The hardware device that forwards a signal out all connected ports without examining the contents of frames is a hub. Hubs operate at the physical layer of the OSI model and function by simply repeating incoming signals to all ports. When a hub receives a data signal on one port, it transmits that signal to all other ports without any filtering or decision-making based on the data being sent. This leads to less efficiency and potential network collisions, as all connected devices receive the same data, regardless of whether they are the intended recipient.

This characteristic contrasts with devices like routers, bridges, and switches, which utilize more advanced filtering techniques and decision-making processes based on frame contents or MAC addresses to direct traffic appropriately, thus improving overall network efficiency.