Network Switches

Network switching is a very technical and intricate layer of computer networking. Even with its intricate complexity, network switches are very easy to implement into your business or home networks because of their nature - most switches are strictly hardware and therefore can meet the needs of a networking environment right out of the box. It is even easier than configuring firewall antivirus software. This is why most people do not think much of a network switch, but switching is actually very interesting and exciting if you learn how everything works together in this wonderful world of networking.

This is the site that is all about the network switch. Why are network switches so exciting? To put it in non-geeky terms let's just say that the switch is the device that connects all of the computers, in one geographical location, together. Now let's get a little geeky and explain it this way: A network switch is a device that connects multiple computers together within a local area network (LAN). For the techies at heart, these hardware devices operate at layer 2 (Data Link layer) of the OSI Model (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSI_model). This is mentioned so that you don't get confused with the network router which operates at higher layers of the OSI model and does the routing of the traffic within and between LANs and further into the world of networking. The router is what connects your computer to the internet and routes your traffic to each website that you attempt to get to. The switch on the other hand gives your computer the connectivity to talk to the router and beyond into the cyber world. Isn't that cool! The switch is an exciting piece of hardware.

As we mentioned above network switches are the hardware devices that connects your computer to the network so that you can communicate to other network devices at work or at your own home. A switch allows for you to have great gaming parties at home with your friends and gaming foes. It also allows you to connect to network printers, servers, and disk storage devices. Even though ethernet switches become devices in which you never think of they are essential to your computer communicating with like networking devices. Without network switches you would have no Fun! That is why this site is dedicated to sharing what switches are all about.

Now when you begin to explore the world of networking you quickly hear about hubs and switches, so let's learn about the difference between hubs and switches. In non-geeky terms they both provide network connectivity but that is where hubs pretty much stop. Switches on the other hand are smarter and can inspect and capture at the network packet (used to transmit communication between network devices) level which allows the switch to perform additional functions that the ethernet hub will not allow you to do. Since switches can inspect at the packet level this allows for users to configure them in various ways. You can use switches to setup virtual LANs which allows you to separate network devices from communicating to each other or to limit broadcast domains and lower the risk of broadcast storms. When a computer wants to communicate to another computer or network device it sends out a broadcast across the switch looking for this particular computer. If all of your devices are in one LAN and not separated by a router or into separate VLANs then these broadcasts can utilize all of the network switches processor time which will slow down the speed of your network. This is why you use routers or VLANs (which can be done on the switching device) to put boundaries on how far a broadcast can travel and how many network devices have to spend time looking at each broadcast packet.

Switches are definitely cool! Have you ever went to a buddy's house and participated in a big gaming party with a bunch of pizza and gaming geeks? If so, you definitely plugged your awesome gaming computer into a network switch which allowed you to have a blast blowing up each one of your friends and foes. Or maybe you have several computers at your house and you have configured them to share files and data, along with your portable software - this is done via this incredible power of the network switch.

Network switches, along with the physical layer of network cables, are the foundation to successful networks across the world today. These powerful switches provide the network connectivity each day that gives people and businesses the access to do their daily business and activities. What a powerful device – it has changed the world of business as well as the quality of living for every human being. Network switching is definitely a key foundation to the exciting world of connectivity. The exciting thing is the knowledge that as technology keeps growing at a incredible fast pace, network switches will be there in the background providing necessary technical functions throughout the world on a daily basis. The network switch is truly a fascinating device.