What is the purpose of the "show mac address-table" command?

The "show mac address-table" command is utilized primarily to display the MAC addresses that a switch has learned along with their associated ports. When switches receive frames, they read the source MAC address of incoming frames and record the port where each frame originated. This information helps the switch build a MAC address table, which is essential for efficient switching operations because it allows the switch to forward frames only to the appropriate port rather than broadcasting them to all ports.

By using this command, network administrators can troubleshoot connectivity issues, verify the correct functioning of the switch, and confirm that the switch is learning MAC addresses as expected. This command is fundamental for understanding how devices are connected within a network and for managing the logical layout of the switch's forwarding capabilities.

The other options do not accurately describe the function of this command. For instance, configuring IP addresses pertains to layer 3 functionality, monitoring bandwidth usage relates to metrics beyond MAC address tables, and establishing connections between switches does not involve simply displaying learned MAC addresses.