MAC address learning apparatus

In a network providing a wide-area LAN service which allows communications to be performed between user networks via a carrier network, edge switches each comprise: a tentative learning registration means which, when a packet whose source MAC address and receiving port are not yet learned is received from the carrier network, registers the source MAC address and the receiving port in a tentatively learned state; a learned state changing means which changes the learned state of the destination MAC address of a packet received from an associated one of the user networks to a permanently learned state; and a permanent learning registration means which, when a packet whose destination MAC address is registered in a learned state is received from the carrier network, registers the source MAC address and receiving port of the packet received from the carrier network in a permanently learned state. The invention thus provides a MAC address learning apparatus that improves the hit rate in a MAC address learning table maintained in each of the edge switches provided in a wide-area VLAN carrier network.