This revolutionized networking. First, by allowing two-way, simultaneous transmissions over the same port (Full-duplex), which essentially doubled the bandwidth. Second, by reducing the collision domain to a single switch-port, which eliminated the need for carrier sensing. Third, by using the store-and- forward technology’s approach of inspecting each packet to intercept corrupt or redundant data. By employing address learning, this switching eliminated unnecessary transmission that slowed the network.
Auto-negotiation regulates the speed and duplex of each port, based on the capability of both devices. Flow-control allows transmission from a 100Mbps node to a 10Mbps node without loss of data. Auto-negotiation and flow-control may need to be disabled for some networking operations involving legacy equipment. Disabling the auto-negotiation is accomplished by fixing the speed or duplex of a port.
Ethernet Switching Technology supplies higher performance at lower costs than other solutions. Wider bandwidth, no congestion, and the reduction in traffic is why switching is replacing expensive routers and inefficient hubs as the ultimate networking solution. Switching brings a whole new way of thinking to networking.