How to quickly distinguish between switches and routers

What is a router?

Routers are mainly used in local area networks and wide area networks. They can connect multiple networks or network segments, and "translate" the data information between different networks or network segments, so that they can "read" each other's data and understand each other, forming a larger network. network. At the same time, it has the functions of network management, data processing, network interconnection, etc.

What is a switch?

Simply put, a switch, also known as a switching hub. The difference with the router is that it can connect with different types of networks (such as Ethernet and Fast Ethernet) on the basis of connecting the same type of network, and make these computers form a network.

It can forward electrical signals and provide an exclusive electrical signal path for any two network nodes connected to it, thereby avoiding the problems of transmission and port conflicts and improving the utilization efficiency of broadband.

Common switches include Ethernet switches, LAN switches and WAN switches, as well as fiber-optic switches, telephone voice switches, etc.

The difference between a router and a switch:

1. From a functional point of view, the router has a virtual dial-up function, which can automatically assign IP. The computers connected to the Internet can share a broadband account on the same router, and the computers are all in the same local area network. At the same time, it can provide firewall services. The switch does not have such services and functions, but it can quickly transmit data to the destination node through the internal switching matrix, thereby saving network resources and improving efficiency.

2. From the perspective of the object of data forwarding, the router determines the address of data forwarding by using the ID numbers of different networks, and the switch determines the address of forwarding data by using the MAC address or physical address.

3. From the working level, routers work according to IP addressing, work on the network layer of the OSI model, and can handle TCP/IP protocols; switches are based on MAC addressing and work at the relay layer.

4. From the point of view of the division area, the router can divide the broadcast domain, and the switch can only divide the collision domain.

5. From the perspective of the application area, the router is mainly used to connect the local area network and the external network, and the switch is mainly used for data forwarding in the local area network.

6. From the interface point of view, there are three types of router interfaces: AUI port, RJ-45 port, SC port, and there are many switch interfaces, such as Console port, MGMT port, RJ45 port, optical fiber port, auc port, vty port and vlanif interface, etc.