SWITCH (ITS WORKING)

·         A switch connects multiple computers together in a LAN. After the first data transfer, it creates a “switch table” which matches ports to connected devices by their MAC addresses.

·         Switches, unlike hubs, are able to differentiate between computers as the first time data passes through the switch, it looks to see which MAC addresses are connected to which ports and remembers the layout.

·         What Is It Good For?

·         Creating a LAN. Hubs used to be recommended for this because they were cheaper than switches, but switches are far superior as they minimize the traffic on a network, decrease bandwidth usage, and only send data to the intended computers.

·         For instance Computer A wants to send data to Computer C. The switch would see that Computer A is on port 1 while Computer C is on port 4. The switch can then send data directly between them, with the data arriving at port 1 and leaving the switch at port 4. This process hugely reduces bandwidth usage when compared to a hub.

·         Recommended Switch Model

·         Great switches are relatively inexpensive these days and can be found from most networking manufacturers. is a five port switch which you can either use to create a LAN or can be plugged into one of your router’s Ethernet ports to increase the amount of wired ports on your network.

·         When buying a switch, there are managed and unmanaged varieties. Unmanaged are the most common, which allow you to plug in and get using straight away with no setup. Managed switches let you set up the network and allow you to prioritize traffic, say Skype to ensure great call quality.