Switch and its features
A switch is a small hardware and acts like a controller that centralizes communications among multiple connected devices, thus enabling networked devices to transmit information to each other efficiently. Nowadays, many home and business networks use switches to connect computers, printers and servers within a building or home. As switch enables quick information sharing and efficient resource allocation, it results in savings for businesses and increasing employee productivity at the same time.
Switches is usually used in conjunction with a router to provide connections to large number of devices as ports on the back of a router can only connect a few Ethernet devices together. Moreover, switch has a number of additional advantages such as the ability to control of who has access to various parts of the network, manage the amount of usage and prevent the traffic between any two devices from getting in the way one another while under the same network. Last but not least, switches allow even more speedy communication between devices than the Internet.
Switches have many different port speeds ranging from the fundamental speeds of Fast Ethernet 10/100 Mbps to the Gigabit Ethernet theoretical speed of 1,000 Mbps.Gigabit switches typically increases the speed of local network. Most home users don’t need gigabit switches because most people don't do much more than simply accessing the internet. However, gigabit switches are favored in businesses as they require fast network to support heavy-data traffic.
Ethernet switches
Depending on the number of users that your network need to support, common numbers of ports available on Ethernet switches are 5, 8, 10, 24, and 48 ports. If there are about 5 to 6 users, then a small, inexpensive 8 port gigabit switch is more than sufficient for connecting multiple network devices in a home or small office to create a local network. For more ports to support more users of the network there’s a need to acquire the 16 port gigabit switch or the 24 port gigabit switch. You could easily find these Gigabit Switches from popular manufacturers of network devices such as Cisco.
Managed and unmanaged
There are generally two types of Ethernet switches: managed and unmanaged
An unmanaged switch that simply allows Ethernet devices such as computers and network printers to communicate with one another and is not designed to be configured thus there’s no need for any setting up or installing prior to using it. Because unmanaged switches are shipped with a fixed configuration and do not allow any changes to this configuration, they require less maintenance and do not have to be reconfigured every time network changes. Moreover, unmanaged switches also have less network capacity than managed switches, they are usually found in home networking equipment where there are not many devices to be connected together.
Managed switch provide all the functions of an unmanaged switch but offering greater flexibility and capacity than an unmanaged switch by providing the ability to configure, manage, and monitor LAN. Managed switches also use protocols such as the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), in which SNMP queries can determine the network condition or the status of a specific device. SNMP displays data which enable IT managers at a central location to detect and repair network problems without having to physically come to contact with the switch. Other well-known features of managed switches include link aggregation, and QoS support.
Purchase switches at Advanteco.com
- Advanteco.com offers a large number of high quality switches from Cisco,in addition, we also carry a few switch models from Nexus. Switches offered at Advanteco.com are competitively priced with free delivery on any purchase. Moreover, should you want to buy refurbished and used switch instead, we also have them at Advateco.com and all these switches are thoroughly tested by certified technicians to ensure that the refurbished switches are in no way inferior to brand new switches in terms of performance and durability
- If you have any further enquires or technical questions relating to the switch models or any other Advanteco.com products, simply drop us an email or have an online chat with our helpful and friendly customer representatives or call Advanteco.com directly for further assistance. We are committed to providing our customers with hassle-free online shopping of equipments , contact us at any time should you have any enquiries and we are more than happy to assist you.
- All Cisco equipment at Advanteco.com comes with our industry-leading warranty in which we provide extended warranty on our products above the average warranty normally received. There are a variety of online information about our products available on Advanteco.com website. You can access Advanteco.com today to know more about our offers, promotions as well as to learn about what we can offer as an online network hardware provider. Visit Advanteco.com now!