Trendnet TEG-160WS [11/44] Switching technology

Switching Technology

Another approach to pushing beyond the limits of Ethernet technology

is the development of switching technology. A switch bridges

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, without interfering with any other

segments, automatically forwards traffic that needs to go from one

segment to another. By doing this the total network capacity is

multiplied, while still maintaining the same network cabling and

adapter cards.

Switching LAN technology is a marked improvement over the

previous generation of network bridges, which were characterized by

higher latencies. Routers have also been used to segment local area

networks, but the cost of a router, the setup and maintenance required

make routers relatively impractical. Today switches are an ideal

solution to most kinds of local area network congestion problems.