What is a Computer Network Switch?
A network switch is a small hardware device that centralizes communications among multiple connected devices within one local area network (LAN).
Standalone Ethernet switch devices were commonly used on home networks many years ago before home broadband routers became popular. Modern home routers integrate Ethernet switches directly into the unit as one of their core functions. High-performance network switches are still widely used in corporate networks and data centers.
Different models of network switches support varying numbers of connected devices. Consumer-grade network switches provide either four or eight connections for Ethernet devices, while corporate switches typically support between 32 and 128 connections. Switches can additionally be connected to each other, a so-called daisy chaining method to add progressively larger number of devices to a LAN
Standalone Ethernet switch devices were commonly used on home networks many years ago before home broadband routers became popular. Modern home routers integrate Ethernet switches directly into the unit as one of their core functions. High-performance network switches are still widely used in corporate networks and data centers.
Network Switch Technology
While switching capabilities exist for several kinds of networks including ATM and Token Ring, Ethernet switches are the most common type. Mainstream Ethernet switches like those inside broadband routers support Gigabit Ethernet (1 Gbps) speeds per individual link (switch port), but high-performance switches like those in data centers generally support 10 Gbps per link.Different models of network switches support varying numbers of connected devices. Consumer-grade network switches provide either four or eight connections for Ethernet devices, while corporate switches typically support between 32 and 128 connections. Switches can additionally be connected to each other, a so-called daisy chaining method to add progressively larger number of devices to a LAN
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