Filter
Top Products
24-Port 10/100Mbps Ethernet Switch User Guide
8 AirLink+
Switching Technology
Another approach to pushing beyond the limits of Ethernet
technology is the development of switching technology. A
switch bridge Ethernet packets at the MAC address level of
the Ethernet protocol transmitting among connected
Ethernet or Fast Ethernet LAN segments.
Switching is a cost-effective way of increasing the total
network capacity available to users on a local area network.
A switch increases capacity and decreases network loading
by dividing a local area network into different segments,
which don't compete with each other for network
transmission capacity.
The switch acts as a high-speed selective bridge between the
individual segments. The switch automatically forwards
traffic from one segment to another without interfering
with any other segments. This multiplies the total network
capacity while maintaining the same network cabling and
adapter cards.
For Fast Ethernet networks, a switch is an effective way of
eliminating problems of chaining hubs beyond the "two-
repeater limit." A switch can be used to split parts of the
network into different collision domains, making it possible
to expand your Fast Ethernet network beyond the
205-meter network diameter limit for 100BASE-TX
networks. Switches supporting both traditional 10Mbps
Ethernet and 100Mbps Fast Ethernet are also ideal for
bridging existing 10Mbps networks with the new 100Mbps
networks.
Switching LAN technology is a marked improvement over
the previous generation of network bridges, which were