2007-01-10 12:36:26 · 5 answers · asked by opticalnoise 4 in Computers & Internet ➔ Computer Networking
A router is used to connect two seperate networks. Such as your intranet at work to the internet. Whereas a switch simply connects computers within the same network.
For instance, in an office a switch connects all the computers in the cubicles together. A router connects all of those computers to the outside world.
2007-01-10 12:50:47 · answer #1 · answered by kildarner 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A switch is a Layer 2 device in the OSI model. It passes information based on MAC addresses. The MAC address is a hardware address assigned to a NIC card, modem, or other network access device. A switch has many ports where it can receive data. The switch associated MAC addresses of different devices with each of its ports. When the switch receives a datagram it looks at the MAC address of the destination device. It compares this address to its port association and then switches the packet to the port connecting to that device. If a device is not directly connected to the switch, then the switch doesn't know where to send the packet. In this case, you need a router.
A router is a Layer 3 device in the OSI odel. It passes information based on IP addresses. The IP address defines what network a device is located on and which device it is on that network. A router looks at the IP address of the source and destination of a data packet. If the source and destination are on different networks then the router routes the data toward the destination network.
2007-01-10 12:51:34 · answer #2 · answered by angry 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A router usually has a built in DHCP Server and built in Firewall and Internet sharing capabilities. A switch will just handle trafic between connected computers.
2007-01-10 12:46:53 · answer #3 · answered by Taba 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A switch is an open data channel for many computers to talk on at the same time.
A router has many channels so that computers on multiple channels can talk, and an external data source (i.e. a cable modem) can be shared among those on the local channel (i.e. plugged in.)
The router has the capability of being it's own psudo-server that can connect multiple networks (or data channels), where a switch is isolated to one data channel.
2007-01-10 13:13:45 · answer #4 · answered by Justin E 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you can go to www.wikipedia.com and type in both of them, and it'll give you more of an explanation than anyone on here will
2007-01-10 12:43:54 · answer #5 · answered by Mister 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋