Working Principle and Types of Gigabit Switches

A gigabit switch refers to a switch whose upper and lower interfaces are gigabit ports. It can also be understood that the switch port supports 1000M or 10/100/1000M transmission. The gigabit switch has the characteristics of flexible networking, which can provide full gigabit access and enhanced 10 gigabit uplink port expansion. Gigabit switch is a typical Ethernet switch, which has many types and characteristics. In order to ensure that you can find the gigabit switch that is most suitable for your network, it is necessary to understand the gigabit switch in detail.

Definition of gigabit switch

Gigabit Ethernet (1000 Mbps) is the evolution of Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps). Its transmission rate is 10 times faster than that of Fast Ethernet switches. It aims to meet the high-speed requirements of Internet Service Providers (ISPs). It is one of the cost-effective network devices for various networks and small enterprises to achieve stable network connectivity. As an upgraded version of fast Ethernet switch, gigabit Ethernet switch is very valuable in connecting security cameras, printers, servers and other devices to the local area network (LAN).

In addition, the gigabit switch is an excellent choice for video creators and video game hosts who need high-definition devices, because compared with the fast Ethernet switch, the gigabit switch can ensure a smoother experience.

If it is just a simple Internet environment, such as sending email, chatting online, browsing web pages, etc., the use of gigabit switches may not give full play to its advantages. Considering the cost, you can choose fast Ethernet switches. If the requirements for the network environment are high, such as playing large online games and server hosting, it is more appropriate to choose a gigabit switch, because gigabit switches have obvious advantages in speed and performance (as described above). In addition, as a medium and large enterprise that has multiple users accessing the same network device or needs to add PoE+power supply devices, considering the future network growth trend, it is more efficient to choose gigabit switching opportunities and more convenient to upgrade the network. The gigabit switch has various port configurations, such as 8-port gigabit switch, 24 port gigabit switch, etc., which can meet different network cabling requirements.

Working principle of gigabit switch

Generally, a gigabit switch allows multiple devices to connect to the LAN through coaxial cables, Ethernet cable twisted pairs, and optical fiber cables, and the gigabit Ethernet switch uses the unique MAC address belonging to each device to identify the connected device when receiving each frame on a given port, so that it can correctly route the frame to the desired destination. Next, when the gigabit network switch receives the Ethernet packet, the gigabit switch will use the MAC address table to remember the MAC address of the sending device and the port connected to the device. The switching technology will check the MAC address table to find out whether the destination MAC address is connected to the same switch. If the answer is yes, the Gigabit Ethernet switch continues to forward packets to the target port. If not, the gigabit switch transmits the data packet to all ports and waits for a response. Finally, in the process of waiting for a response, assume that the gigabit switch is connected to the destination device, which will accept the packets. If the device is connected to another gigabit switch, the other gigabit switch will repeat the above operation until the frame reaches the correct destination.

Types of gigabit switches

Gigabit Ethernet switches have multiple ports, such as 8-port gigabit switches, 24 port gigabit switches, 48 port gigabit switches, etc. Next, we will briefly introduce the types of gigabit switches, which can be roughly divided into the following categories:

Modular gigabit switch and fixed gigabit switch

Fixed configuration gigabit switches have a fixed number of ports, such as 24 port gigabit switches and 48 port gigabit switches. In contrast, modular gigabit switches allow users to add expansion modules to gigabit Ethernet switches as needed. For example, you can add modules that support security, wireless connectivity, and so on.

Independent gigabit switches and stackable gigabit switches

An independent gigabit switch is managed and configured with a set capacity. Independent gigabit switches need to be configured separately, and troubleshooting needs to be handled separately.

One of the advantages of stackable gigabit switches is increased capacity and network availability. Stackable switches allow multiple gigabit switches to be configured as one entity. If any part of the stack fails, these stackable gigabit switches will automatically bypass the failure without affecting data transmission.

Unmanaged gigabit switch and managed gigabit switch

Unmanaged gigabit switches, that is, plug and play, do not require configuration, and usually represent home networks and small businesses. Managed gigabit switches support higher levels of security, scalability, precise control and management of your network, so managed gigabit switches are usually used in large networks.

PoE Gigabit Switch and Non PoE Gigabit Switch

PoE gigabit switches can power IP cameras or wireless access points through the same Ethernet cable, which greatly improves the flexibility of the connection system. PoE gigabit switches are very suitable for wireless networks, while non poe switches do not perform well in wireless networks because non PoE gigabit switches only transmit data through Ethernet cables.

Therefore, after understanding the characteristics, working principles and classifications of gigabit switches, when selecting the best gigabit switch for your network, you need to consider the number of ports, whether to support network management, whether to support power over Ethernet (PoE) and other factors.