What Is an Ethernet Switch? | Internet Setup

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What are you going to do if your lovely router that you just bought and hooked up your whole network to ran out of ports?

Let's say I have many, many computers in my house, or in my office, and I connected all of the ports that I have here. Most routers will have four ports on them, so I have connected three computers and a printer. But suddenly I wanted to buy another computer. So, that's what the switch is for. A switch is basically kind of like a network surge protector. Just think about it this way. You plug in one output to your router, and the other ones will just split up that connection, to give you more hookups. This is called a four port switch, which will mean it will have actually five ports - one which will be uplink. It will send the signal back to the router - and the other four will split it up for four computers. Switches come in many sizes. They can come in four port size A ports, 16, 32, even 64. And of course, they have much larger more industrial switches for big industrial settings. And they also have different speeds to them. And when I say speed, I'm basically talking about the speed of the port. The basic speed is 10 megabit per second; then you have 100 megabit, which is pretty much the standard nowadays. And today, we also have faster switches which are gigabits. So you have 1,000 megabits per second. If you buy a gigabit switch, it's also wise to make sure your computer has a gigabit Ethernet port, and also that your router has a gigabit Ethernet port, otherwise you're not really thinking that that would do it.

So, if you have way to many computers for your router to handle, an Ethernet switch is definitely what you need.

[af_]

Ah, the simplicity of old YouTube videos. I am adding "before:2012" to all my searches from now on

[yousefnoori]

What I like about this is the simple explanation, every other person had to include servers or whatever.

[youracherrynut]

Great explanation, I just bought one today, and the videos I've watched don't explain that you need an "extra" ethernet cable to link your router to the switch. So along with buying the switch, you also need an ethernet cable, which you have to buy separately if you don't have one hanging around the house, and you must connect that ethernet cable to the back of the router and to the main port of the switch, and then add all of your other cables to the switch

it is also usefull when for example you have an extreme long connection (ex.: 30 meters) built around your house from point A(rooter) to point B(PC), but then you decide to have another computer at point B. (even though you have free sockets in point A)

[hillmanant]

Great explanation, simple and to the point, thanks much.

[kodi]

Thanks for the simple/direct explanation!

[maxamedmaahir]

That is so awesome short and helpful to understand from now 2 up i will never forget that show .

[fearthesilence]

This makes so much sense all other ones were so confusing thanks.

[wanwanan]

Straight to the point, plain and simple. Thank u kindly for explaining this

[OMCPero]

Great, explanation for rookies. Just what I needed

I need help. My switch (5 ports) keep flashing lights even i don't plug them all.

[kurdistanfree]

I have two modems and each receives different internet from different ISPs
But there is a LAN socket on my motherboard
My goal is to connect two modems to my computer so that the adapter section of Windows shows two different adapters.
Is this possible through the switch?
Can you suggest a way please?

[nickmiller]

what is the numbering represent ? there is 1/2, 3/4 and 5.
im looking at N-Tron 105TX

[Stephen-lttp]

Do telephone communications come on the same coaxial wires as the internet? Or they run separately back underground?

[bingerfutt]

see my router is downstairs and i got a ethernet adapter in my room connected with the router downstairs, so a ethernet adapter. can i connect the switch do this ethernet adapter?

[busyteacher]

My ports are in the wall. How do I set it up. I plugged the ethernet cord into the wall and into the laptop but it still did not work.

[panaoutsios]

Is the same download speed as original router the internet switch?

[shaveshmarketingincptyltd]

Is there any way a video that show that one router that has 4 enternet ports connected to 4 Computer or pc

[ernec.]

Can you connect the modem to the switch and and connect the router to the switch? I basically want to have the modem near the pc with extra ports but move the router closers to the middle of the house. I don’t want to have the router in the middle of the house and still have to get longer ethernet cables for the pc and tv.

[OK-rcnn]

I have 2 computers in my room the rooter is not in my room but i have one ethernet cable can i connect the 2 computers using one cable and this switch ?