What does an Ethernet frame include?

An Ethernet frame includes both the source and destination MAC (Media Access Control) addresses as part of its structure. These MAC addresses are crucial for identifying devices on a local area network (LAN). They enable the correct delivery of data packets to and from devices within the same network segment.

In an Ethernet frame, the source MAC address indicates which device is sending the data, while the destination MAC address specifies which device is intended to receive the data. This enables devices to communicate effectively on the network, ensuring that frames are delivered to the correct endpoint.

The other options miss critical components of an Ethernet frame. For instance, an Ethernet frame does not contain only the destination IP address since the MAC addresses are necessary for layer 2 communication. While Ethernet frames may include data about the payload, such as its size, they do not explicitly include status information. In addition, the concept of network identification labels does not apply directly to Ethernet frames in their traditional form. Thus, the inclusion of both source and destination MAC addresses is what distinguishes the correct answer about the composition of an Ethernet frame.