Network Switch Configuration Tutorial
What is a network switch?
A network switch connects the devices in a network (usually a local area network, or LAN*) and forwards data packets to and from those devices.
How do switches and routers differ from one another?
Data packets that need to cross networks and get to their destinations are routed by routers. In order to accomplish this, routers connect to various networks and transmit data from one network to another. These networks may be LANs, WANs, or autonomous systems, which are the big networks that make up the Internet.
What is a network switch?
A network switch is a hardware device that connects devices together within a network, such as computers, printers, and servers. It operates at the data link layer of the OSI model and uses MAC addresses to forward data packets to the intended devices.
How do switches and routers differ from one another?
Switches are used to connect devices within a single network and forward data packets directly to the intended device, while routers are used to connect multiple networks and determine the best path for data packets to reach their destinations across different networks.
Network switches are essential components of modern computer networks. They play a crucial role in ensuring efficient and reliable communication between devices within the same network.
Switches operate at layer 2 of the OSI model, where they use MAC addresses to deliver data packets to the appropriate devices. By learning the MAC addresses of connected devices and building a MAC address table, switches can make forwarding decisions based on this information.
Furthermore, switches provide full duplex communication, allowing devices to transmit and receive data simultaneously without collisions. This improves network performance and bandwidth utilization compared to shared media connections like hubs.
On the other hand, routers operate at layer 3 of the OSI model and are responsible for routing data between different networks. Routers use IP addresses to determine the best path for data packets to reach their destinations across interconnected networks.
In summary, switches connect devices within the same network and forward data packets directly to the intended recipients based on MAC addresses, while routers connect multiple networks and route data packets between them using IP addresses.