About Routers Versus Switches

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By Jennifer Claerr
eHow Contributing Writer

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Both routers and switches are used in Ethernet local area networking. However, these two networking devices function in very different ways. Whether you need a router, a switch or both will depend on the size of your network and the amount of traffic it must process on a daily basis.

Function

Network routers function on layer 3 of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model, otherwise known as the Network Layer. Routers are intelligent devices that can send data packets to specific Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. Switches, on the other hand, function on layer 2, or the Data Layer. They examine data and determine which Media Access Control (MAC) address it should travel to.

Features

Routers and switches use the Ethernet protocol to send and receive data. Typical routers and switches use Fast Ethernet, which operates at speeds of either 10 or 100 megabits per second (Mbps). There are also gigabit routers and switches that can function at speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps. Routers may also have security features such as a built-in firewall and address filtering capabilities. Switches have many features in common with both bridges and hubs. Like a bridge, a switch sends data to physical MAC addresses. Like a hub, it has many ports for connecting computers to the network.

Types

Both routers and switches come in wireless and wired versions. Most wireless routers can also be used to set up a wired network. There are also devices on the market that function both as a router and a switch. Some new switch models are capable of functioning on the Network Layer or layer 3 of the OSI model. These are sometimes referred to as layer 3 or IP switches.

Considerations

Most Local Area Networks (LAN) need a router and multiple access points. Since many routers can function as a switch, adding an additional switch is probably unnecessary for most home networks. Switches are only necessary if there are slowdowns in the network due to traffic. Also, IP switches can be very expensive and probably have no application in small home networks. For a typical small LAN, getting a gigabit router will offer high speeds at a better price than adding a network switch.

Benefits

Network routers are capable of connecting different networks. For home use, routers are often used to connect a LAN to the Internet, and to share a broadband Internet connection with other computers. Switches are incapable of this. However, switches may have 16 ports or more to connect multiple computers to a LAN. Switches are also significantly faster than routers.