Network switches are typically attached directly to a router or server, and their key physical feature is providing a greater number of ports for plugging in additional ethernet cables. To provide a far more robust connectivity solution that allows you to hook in multiple devices and resources - thus creating a more complex Local Area Network, or LAN – you will need to add a network switch.
Data, online connectivity and more can then be shared between some or all the users on that network, and some models allow these connections to be managed and controlled via an onboard software interface.Īt its simplest, a network switch can be considered as a large USB hub, but one specifically made to accept ethernet or RJ45 cables, enabling multi-device sharing of a single wired internet/data connection.Ī standard internet router will likely include at least one built-in ethernet port, but probably not more than two or three for midrange models. We will touch on this in more depth over the following sections, but for now, we’ll focus on the most basic answer to the question, ‘what does an internet switch do?’Ī switch deployed in a computer network provides a single point of wired connection for numerous individual devices and resources.
If you are looking to gain a fuller understanding of exactly how an Ethernet switch works, it’s important to be aware of the various types available.
The latter name reflects the fact that they typically rely on cabled connections to support networking activities across a relatively limited physical space, such as a single office. Network switches are often referred to as an ethernet switch or LAN switch (Local Area Network). Numerous types of external storage and file-sharing modules, such as high-capacity hard drives or server arraysĪ wide range of key hardware and peripherals - desktop computers, laptops, games consoles, smart TVs, UPS power supplies, printers and more
Users connected to the same network via a switch can then be granted access to share some or all of the resources and devices on that network.Įxamples of the sorts of resources commonly found wired together through network switches might include:Īny incoming internet connections, usually via a router In the context of domestic, commercial or industrial computer networking and connectivity, the main role of network switches is to physically link online resources and devices through a single multi-port entry/exit point. When asking what is a network switch, the most straightforward answer is that it’s a type of wired hub device, chiefly used for connecting multiple people and devices to a given computer network.