What term describes devices that are often referred to as 'end hosts' or 'endpoints'?

The term that describes devices commonly referred to as 'end hosts' or 'endpoints' is 'clients and servers.' These devices are integral parts of a network, where clients are devices requesting resources or services, while servers provide those resources or services.

In a typical network architecture, end hosts can include personal computers, smartphones, tablets, and servers, all of which participate in data transmission. This communication can take place in various contexts, such as client-server architecture for web services, file sharing, or other applications where these devices serve distinct but interconnected roles.

Other devices mentioned in the options, such as routers, switches, and bridges, serve more in the capacity of facilitating network traffic but are not endpoints themselves. Routers direct data between different networks, switches connect devices within the same network segment, and bridges connect and filter traffic between network segments. Thus, while they play critical roles in network function, they are not categorized as end hosts.