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. It transmits packets among connected Ethernet or Fast Ethernet LAN segments.

Switching is a cost-effective way of increasing the total network bandwidth available to users on a local area network. A switch divides a local area network into multiple, separate segments. Each segment has it’s own full Ethernet or Fast Ethernet bandwidth that doesn’t compete with the other segments for network transmission.

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 and blocks traffic that does not need to be transmitted. By doing this the total network bandwidth is multiplied, while still maintaining the same network cabling and adapter cards.

For Fast Ethernet networks, a switch is an effective way of eliminating the problem of chaining hubs beyond the “two- repeater limit.” A switch can be used to split parts of the network into different collision domains, making it possible to expand a Fast Ethernet network beyond the 205-meter

network diameter limit. Switches supporting both traditional 10Mbps Ethernet and 100Mbps Fast Ethernet are ideal for bridging between existing 10Mbps networks and new 100Mbps networks.