What type of switch can be configured and has advanced features like MAC filtering and VLANs?

A managed switch is capable of being configured and equipped with advanced features such as MAC filtering and Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs). These switches allow network administrators to have greater control over the network by adjusting settings according to specific needs. This includes the ability to segment networks through VLANs, which helps improve performance and security by separating traffic for different types of devices or departments.

In contrast, unmanaged switches do not offer such advanced configurability; they operate essentially as plug-and-play devices, automatically handling traffic without any user-defined settings. Routers are primarily used for directing traffic between different networks rather than managing devices within a single local area network, and while they do have some management capabilities, they do not provide switches' granular control features. Network Interface Cards (NICs) are hardware components that connect computers to networks and do not have any switching capabilities.

Thus, managed switches are the correct choice for their ability to be configured with advanced network features.