What do bridges require that hubs and repeaters do not?

Bridges are designed to work at the data link layer of the OSI model, where they manage and filter traffic between different network segments. They utilize address tables, also known as MAC address tables, to keep track of the devices on the network. This enables them to efficiently forward data only to the appropriate segment where the destination device is located. By doing so, bridges help reduce unnecessary network traffic and improve overall performance.

In contrast, hubs and repeaters operate at the physical layer and are primarily responsible for simply transmitting signals without any intelligence or filtering. They do not maintain or use address tables because they do not process data packets in the same way bridges do. Instead, they broadcast data to all connected devices, making them less efficient in managing network traffic.

Devices like signal amplifiers, connection ports, and hardware encryption are not unique requirements for bridges in relation to hubs and repeaters. Signal amplifiers are used to strengthen signals over distances, connection ports are necessary for all types of networking devices to interface, and hardware encryption pertains to security rather than traffic management.

Thus, the requirement for address tables is what distinguishes bridges from hubs and repeaters, making it the correct choice in this question.