For network administrators, Switch is a powerful connection support tool in the network system. To better understand what Switch is, how to set up a network Switch, the following article DNG Corp will definitely provide readers with the most useful information.
What is a Switch?
A network switch (or Network Switch) is a device that allows two or more information technology devices (such as computers, laptops) to communicate with each other. Connecting multiple information technology devices together will create a communication network that allows computing, printing, servers, file storage, Internet access and other information technology resources to be shared on the network.
=> see more:Switch Layer 3
Find out what Switch is?
IT devices communicate by exchanging “packets” of data over a network. Basic switches forward packets from one device to another, while more complex operations (such as deciding whether a packet is allowed to reach its intended destination) have traditionally been the domain of other types of networking devices.
A switch can be a dedicated device or just a component of other devices such as network routers and wireless access points (APs) that perform operations on data packets. Basic switching technology has been around for decades and is one of the fundamental building blocks of all modern IT networks, including the Internet.
How does a network switch work?
Now that we understand what a switch is, the question is, how does a network switch work? The way network switches enable communication between devices is that all systems (including the switch itself) are connected following a standard set of communications protocols. There are three main ways that devices connect to a network: radio (such as Wifi), electrical (such as RJ-45 Ethernet), and light-based optical. Each of these corresponds to a different physical network connection method – RF spectrum, copper cabling, and fiber optics, through which IT devices can communicate with each other by sending a stream of 1s and 0s.
Networking standards allow these streams of 1s and 0s to be interpreted as data packets consisting of a header and a payload. The packet header contains information such as the source and destination addresses of the devices that are participating in this communication. The payload contains the data that the networked devices are actually trying to exchange. Each device on the network can have one or more addresses. Switches read addresses from packet headers and then forward packets to their destinations.
The records maintained by switches are called lookup tables (LUTs). LUTs contain lists of addresses that can be reached by specific switch ports. Some switches also function as routers, which can be configured with “routes”. Routes are a type of LUT that direct switches to send all packets with a certain destination to an intermediate switch or router. Using routes allows switches to send packets to devices that do not have address information.
To better understand how network switches work, DNG Corp provides readers with an illustrative example. Consider how your smartphone can use your home Wifi network to access a website. The smartphone is the device that allows it to connect via Wifi to the AP. The AP has a built-in RJ-45/Ethernet switch, which is connected to the Internet router.
When a packet leaves the smartphone’s radio and is received by the AP, the AP reads the packet and determines that it does not know where the destination address in the packet header is. The switch in the AP is now configured to send all packets with unknown destination addresses to the Internet router, so it sends a copy of that packet through the built-in switch to the router.
From here, the packet begins its journey across the Internet. From router to router and through an unknown number of switches in between, the packet eventually reaches the web server. The web server responds in kind, sending packets back along the Internet path to the original source Internet router, then the AP’s embedded switch, and finally your phone.
This exchange of packets creates a data flow between the phone and the web server. Users can communicate with each other because every device and software involved between source and destination adheres to standards that have been defined and maintained for decades.
How does Switch work?
Switch Classification
DNG Corp has compiled a number of types of Switches in the network currently on the market. This is important information to help make the right choice of Switch type for your business needs.
- Virtual Switch: This is a software-only switch that is initialized inside the VM hosting environment.
- LAN Router Switch: In addition to performing Layer 2 switching based on MAC addresses, this type of Switch also performs routing functions at Layer 3 OSI (network layer) to help direct traffic based on the IP address in each packet.
- Managed Switch: Allows users to adjust each port on the switch. Therefore, users can monitor and change the configuration.
- Unmanaged Switch: Allows Ethernet devices to automatically transmit data using auto-negotiation, determining parameters such as data rate. Because this device has been fixed in configuration, users cannot edit it.
- Smart Switches: Smart switches are also known as partially managed switches. These types of switches can be customized to allow for more control over data transmission, but they also have more limitations than managed switches. Stackable Switches: These are fixed switches that are interconnected via a backplane cable interface, forming a single logical switch from two or more physical switches. Modular Switches: These are switch cards for modular or chassis-based switches and can be installed in a large, fixed form factor chassis that holds two or more cards. Since the interfaces of the switches can be changed as needed, these types of switches offer the most flexibility and upgradeability.
How to Set Up a Network Switch
Depending on the type of network, businesses can choose to use different types of switches. For example, with a small office LAN, a Network Switch is usually plugged into one of the ports on the router. A switch expands the number of wired Internet-connected devices in a small network, including desktops, laptops, and printers.
The steps to set up a network switch are as follows:
- Choose a Network Switch based on your needs and network requirements.
- The Switch port is connected to the router using a straight-through cable. Most switches have an uplink port, which is used to connect to devices such as a router. However, if an uplink port is not available on the switch, any port can be used to connect to the router.
- When the switch is physically connected to the router, the IP address of the device is configured.
Network Switch Setup Steps
What are the differences between a switch and a router?
The two types of devices, Switch and Router, are often confused with each other. In fact, they have different functions and operate on separate layers.
Here are the main differences between Switch and Router:
- Network Switch is a Layer 2 device on the OSI model, while Router is usually a Layer 3 device.
- Routers transfer data between two or more computer networks, while switches facilitate resource sharing by connecting multiple devices on a LAN.
- To determine the route and destination of a packet, a router examines the IP address of the packet. Switches look at the MAC address of each device to forward the data to the correct destination.
- Routers use data packets, while switches, which are part of the data link layer, usually work with data frames.
- Switches are less complex than routers because they do not use routing algorithms to direct data around large networks.
- Routers can operate in both wired and wireless (Wifi) environments, but switches are limited to wired connections. Routers provide network address translation, NetFlow, and quality of service. Switches do not provide these services.
=> See more: What is a Router? How to Choose a Router for Business
Different Uses of Network Switch
Network switches are devices that play an important role in providing internet connectivity to users. Here are the different uses of network switches:
Automating interconnections: Eliminating manual and time-consuming settings, network switches provide efficient connectivity, fast transmission speeds, and ease of use between network devices.
Building a secure and reliable network: Network switches provide some level of control over how data is transmitted.
Supporting physical connections: Network switches are necessary when users need to connect separate network devices because they have a number of ports on the front. Typically, those ports are RJ-45 ports for Ethernet cables, the number of ports can vary.
Operate in full duplex mode: This function allows data to be transmitted and received simultaneously on the network. Compared to hubs that only enable half-duplex mode, switches actually quadruple the speed of the network.
Useful for home networks, streaming: Network Switches are suitable for home networks or situations where high-capacity streaming services are frequently used. They are especially useful if users need to stream or stream 4K video.
Reduce collisions and eliminate broadcast domains in the network: Because network switches maintain a list of separate MAC addresses of every device connected to them, most network communication is only routed to the intended destination and not broadcast to all connected devices.
DNG Corp – Genuine Network Switch Distributor with the Best Price
Thus, we have shared with you information about what a Switch is and the easy steps to set up a Network Switch. If your business has a need for genuine network switches at a good price, DNG Corp is the distributor you are looking for.
DNG Corp is proud to be a leading partner and distributor of famous technology brands providing ICT products and solutions. We are committed to providing businesses with comprehensive services from consulting, supplying, installing and maintaining network Switch devices, Layer 3 Switches,… at the best prices.
For the fastest support, contact us immediately via Hotline: 0983 959 796/ 0988 712 159.
