An Ethernet switch is a network switch used in order to connect multiple computers with each other.  The switch is an external device that is used with an LAN (Local Area Network) in order to establish the connection. This device can perform the same actions as an Ethernet hub, only with more intelligence than what hubs and repeaters can produce.

The Ethernet switch receives packets, and can distribute them with knowledge of what computer they came from, what’s inside the packets, and also can identify where they need to be going. In that respect, the switch is more “intelligent”. They may also opertae in full duplex mode. What this means is that they can send and receive data at the same time. The first Ethernet switch ever produced was made by a company by the name of Kalpana in the 1990’s¹.

In comparison to hubs, Ethernet switches are superior. Hubs may have ports that have the same speed for between every port. Switches may have different speed depending on which port it’s plugged into, so the differences of multiple port speeds varies between switches and hubs. In addition, hubs do not do any “intelligent processing”; rather, they just re-route everything with no inspection. Switches, however, can sort the traffic in such a way that makes sure bandwidth is being distributed properly and that everything is running efficiently.

Here are some typical swtich management techniques:

• Being able to turn port ranges on or off
• Setting the link speed and also being able to customize the duplex settings.A duplex system is composed of two connected devices that are able to communicate back and forth, in both directions.
• Setting priorities for the different ports (which one should get first access in the event that they both make a call).
• MAC filtering, to help prevent security problems.
• The ability to monitor link health, and also the ability to check the health of the device.
• 802.1X network access control
• Controlling the VLAN settings
  

Those are just a few of the available management features available to the Ethernet switch. All in all, Ethernet switches are entirely better than hubs, and if at all interested, you can always check around Google for a good one to buy.

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