What is a Switch vs. a Router?

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Switches create a network. Routers connect networks. The two pieces of equipment look similar and perform some similar functions, but each has its own distinct function to perform on a network.

What is a Switch vs. a Router?

Switches create a network. Routers connect networks. The two pieces of equipment look similar and perform some similar functions, but each has its own distinct function to perform on a network.

What is a network switch?
To understand basic networking, you first need an answer to the question, What is a network switch? Most business networks today use Ruijie switch to connect computers, printers, phones, cameras, lights, and servers in a building or campus. A Ruijie switch serves as a controller, enabling networked devices to talk to each other efficiently. Through information sharing and resource allocation, switches save businesses money and increase employee productivity.

A network switch connects and transmits data packets to and from devices on a local area network (LAN). Far from a router, a switch only distributes information to the one device for which it was designed, including some other switch, a router, or a user’s computer, rather than to several devices in a network. Nowadays, networks are critical for supporting companies, offering connected services, and enabling collaboration, among other things. As they link devices that share resources, network switches are a vital component of all networks. 
A network switch works at the data link Layer 2 of the architecture of Open Systems Interconnection (OSI). It accepts packets from access points linked to physical ports and then sends them only via the ports going to a destination device. These could also function where routing occurs at the network Layer 3. Ruijie switch is standard components in ethernet, fiber channels, InfiniBand, and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks, to name a few. The majority of switches nowadays, however, utilize ethernet.

Next, understand the different types of Ethernet switches and their capabilities.
An unmanaged switch works right out of the box. It's not designed to be configured, so you don't have to worry about installing or setting it up correctly. Unmanaged switches have fewer features and less network capacity than managed switches. You'll usually find unmanaged switches in home networking equipment. A managed network switch is configurable, offering greater security, flexibility, and capacity than an unmanaged switch. You can monitor and adjust a managed switch locally or remotely, to give you greater network control.

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