To configure Linux to do software switching, you need bridge interfaces and NICs to be made part of the bridge with the appropriate `ip` commands (or `brctl` if

To configure Linux to do software switching, you need bridge interfaces and NICs to be made part of the bridge with the appropriate `ip` commands (or `brctl` if you're still using that). This is common with small home routers - the WLAN and wired LAN ports (all typically appearing as one NIC) will be made part of a bridge `br0`. The four LAN ports aren't typically exposed as separate NICs so there is hardware switching going on there (some devices do let you split them out because they are VLANed internally though). If `ip link show type bridges` doesn't show any bridges then you aren't software switching unless your drivers are lying to you.