If you are managing office, home or larger network, you certainly need Ethernet switch. It is a small hardware device that helps connect multiple computers together within one LAN (local area network). This device was commonly used in home networks before home routers became popular. Broadband routers integrate network switch directly into the unit. Today, network switches with high performance are still used in data centers and corporate networks because they generally support 10 Gbps and inside broadband routers, they can support 1 Gbps Ethernet.
Different models of network switches support various numbers of connected devices. For example, a consumer grade network switch provides four or eight connections, while corporate Ethernet switch usually supports between 32 and 128 connections. Ethernet switch is a better device than a hub as it can determine the receiver and the sender. Because of this feature, Ethernet switch minimize the problems with traffic. For certain information to be sent from one device to another, the date rate and the framing must be same. The ability of an Ethernet switch to deal with each device separately, means it can deal with devices with various speeds (send information to a device at one speed and receive information to other device at another speed).
Network switch unlike Ethernet hub, can run half or full duplex mode, which means the network switch can send and receive data at the same time. This is because devices connected to a network switch do not share bandwidth. Ethernet switch opens a connection between two different devices, allows the information to be sent from one to the other, and closes the connection. Ethernet switch can either be unmanaged or managed. A managed Ethernet switch includes a management system which configures advanced settings. This system is very cost-effective for larger corporate networks. There is also a Smart switch, something between the managed and unmanaget switch. It is cheaper but provides fewer advanced controls.
To ease the change from traditional Ethernet to fast Ethernet, network switches have auto sensing capabilities which can detect the speed of certain devices. Because of this, Ethernet switch can convert and save information into various speeds so that 100 Mbps and 10 Mbps devices can communicate with each other. Network switches are devices that offer many features, including intelligent broadcasting, bandwidth and full duplex capabilities. They are also less expensive and very user friendly. There are many reputable online suppliers that offer different models of hubs and network switches, so you can choose and buy network switch that will suit your requirements.
