Understanding Packet Transmission
As packets travel a given segment, each host on the network segment evaluates the packet to determine whether the destination MAC address listed in the packet matches its own or is a broadcast to all hosts.
The host copies the packet and sends the original packet along the network path.
The copy of the packet is passed up the computer’s protocol stack. If the copy of the packet is for the local host’s MAC address, is a broadcast, or is a multicast for which the destination host is configured to receive, the packet continues up the protocol stack.
If the packet is not for the local host, it is discarded.