Most routers have four Ethernet ports which allow you to plug in up to four devices. If you need more than four Ethernet connections then you need to upgrade to a router with a larger port bank usually up to eight ports or to use a network switch instead.
From the introduction above, it is clear that network switch and router are both computer networking devices that allow one or more computers to be connected to other computers, networked devices, or to other networks. While switches allow different devices on one network to communicate, routers allow different networks to communicate. Actually, a switch creates networks while a router connects networks. In addition, a router uses IP address for data transmission, while a network switch uses the MAC address.
However, when the number of devices is over 4, a network switch is necessary. You can use the network switch to expend your wired network with more ports. There are various switches of different port counts such as 8-port, port, port switch available in the market. Step 1: Unplug all the power supplies of cable modem, network switch and wireless router. Among the switch cascade network, daisy chain topology and star topology are two common ways.
Daisy chain topology, as its name implies, connects each switch in series to the next like the petals of a daisy. It is the simplest way to add more switches in a network. The structure of daisy chain network switches can be linear where the switches at both ends are not connected, figure 1 which can be simply described as A-B-C, or circular where the switches at both ends are not connected, figure 2 which can be simply described as A-B-C-D-E-F-A.
For no more than three Ethernet switches, a linear topology of daisy chaining is okay since there is no loop. However, it owns drawbacks in switch failure due to lacking redundancy.
In linear topology, data must be transmitted from one switch to another in one direction. Once one network switch fails, the others will also be dragged in.
In general, linear daisy chain networks are less flexible, similar to electrical series circuits, where one interruption affects other connected items. For more than three Ethernet switches, ring topology is better. It allows two-way transmission where data is sent in both directions. If the ring breaks at a particular link then the transmission can be sent via the reverse path, thereby ensuring that all switches are always connected in the case of a single failure.
However, in ring topology, daisy chaining switches are inevitable to cause loop that can create broadcast storms and network congestion. In a star topology, all the switches in a network are connected to a core switch through point to point link. Just as a switch connects multiple devices to create a network, a router connects multiple switches, and their respective networks, to form an even larger network.
These networks may be in a single location or across multiple locations. When building a small business network, you will need one or more routers. In addition to connecting multiple networks together, the router also allows networked devices and multiple users to access the Internet. Ultimately, a router works as a dispatcher, directing traffic and choosing the most efficient route for information, in the form of data packets, to travel across a network.
A router connects your business to the world, protects information from security threats, and even decides which devices have priority over others. Our resources are here to help you understand the security landscape and choose technologies to help safeguard your business. These tools and articles will help you make important communications decisions to help your business scale and stay connected.
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