We often get asked the question “what is a network switch and what does it do?. All questions about network switches are easy to answer for our experienced network engineers cover:
1. What is a network switch?
2. What does a network switch do?
3. How does a network switch work?
4. What are the types of network switch?
5. Switch vs router: what is the difference between a switch and a router?
6. How much does a network switch cost?
7. What is the difference between a network switch and ethernet switch?
8. When should you replace a network switch?
9. When choosing a network switch, what speed is suggested for good performance?
Let’s get cracking!
A Networks switch is a device used to connect devices within a wired network. A network switch provides additional ports to which devices can connect. These devices could be anything from Laptops, Printers, CCTV, Servers or even another switch. In an enterprise environment it is common to have multiple switches to provide the number of ports required.
A Network switch connects devices that are part of the same local network. For example, a network switch provides connectivity between, Laptops, Printers and Servers, so that these devices can communicate across the network. In addition, some switches that support Power over Ethernet (PoE) can provide power and data connectivity to devices. A common example of this is using a PoE enabled switch to power a wireless access point.
A network switch works by using the ethernet protocol (IEEE 802.3). Layer 2 switches use MAC addresses to identify devices and transfer frames between them. Layer 3 switches have the same functionality a layer 2 switches with the added ability to identify devices based on IP addresses.
There are many different types of network switches, however, here are some of the most common types of switches.
Layer 2 – Layer 2 switches use MAC addresses to identify devices and transfer frames between them. Typical use of a Layer 2 switch is at the network edge to connect as laptops, printers and sometimes access points.
Layer 3 – Layer 3 switches have the same functionality a layer 2 switches with the added ability to identify devices based on IP addresses. These switches often support other advanced features such as DHCP Servers and routing protocols. These switches can often be found at the distribution layer or core of the network. These switches can use fibre connections that offer faster port speeds. It is also common to see redundancy build into these switches with additional fans and power supplies.
PoE – These switches can provide both power and data to connected devices.
Non-PoE – These switches only provide data to connected devices.
Switches connects devices within a local area network, for example a laptop and a printer. A router is the bridge between the internet and the local area network.
Networks switches can cost anywhere between £100’s to £10,000’s of pounds and sometimes even more. The price of a switch depends on the capabilities of the switch.
The following list provide some of the factors that can influence the price of a switch.
Both terms are synonymous and can be used interchangeably.
Network switches can be replaced for a variety of reasons, but here are the most common:
It is also important to consider the backplane capacity of the switch, to ensure that it can operate if all ports are active and operating at full speed.
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