Home > Ask the Networking Experts > Routing and switching with Sudhanshu Gupta Questions & Answers > What is basic difference between a router and a switch?
Ask The Networking Expert: Questions & Answers
EMAIL THIS

What is basic difference between a router and a switch?

Sudhanshu Gupta EXPERT RESPONSE FROM: Sudhanshu Gupta

Pose a Question
Other Networking Categories
Meet all Networking Experts
Become an Expert for this site


Digg This!    StumbleUpon Toolbar StumbleUpon    Bookmark with Delicious Del.icio.us   


>
QUESTION POSED ON: 15 December 2007
What is basic difference between a router and a switch?

>
EXPERT RESPONSE
Though there are a lot of differences between routers and switches, like their functionality, the number of ports they have, the way they are managed, their place in a network, etc. -- the basic difference is in terms of OSI layer. A switch usually works at Layer 2, whereas a router works at Layer 3 -- though nowadays, both can work at either layer and Layer 4 as well.

Hope this helps.


Digg This!    StumbleUpon Toolbar StumbleUpon    Bookmark with Delicious Del.icio.us   


RELATED CONTENT
Routing and switching with Sudhanshu Gupta
How to upgrade an Input/Output Supervisor (IOS) router
Inter-VLAN routing with a LAN and WAN on a single router
What do routers use MAC addresses for?
Does each routing protocol have a different routing table?
How can I load balance between DSLs and LLs?
How to route L3 switches for a serial LAN design
How to configure ISDN and backup leases on routers
How can I configure 10 VLANs with 5 unmanaged switches?
Types of link-state advertisements (LSAs) used in Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)
What is broadcasting and which switch will fix timed-out requests?

Networking Basics
What do routers use MAC addresses for?
What makes a WAN different from a LAN and MAN?
The difference between half-duplex and full-duplex
Network management frameworks: FCAPS and ITIL
What is a logical network? How do you improve one?
Interop Las Vegas 2008: Special news coverage
Networking podcasts
What are three vital pieces of criteria used to evaluate a network?
The IT Guy: Networking comics
Can users on my LAN view my computer from other machines?
Networking Basics Research

RELATED GLOSSARY TERMS
Terms from Whatis.com − the technology online dictionary
availability  (SearchNetworking.com)
carrier detect  (SearchNetworking.com)
fiber jumper  (SearchNetworking.com)
layer 2  (SearchNetworking.com)
MAE  (SearchNetworking.com)
Network layer  (SearchNetworking.com)
networking  (SearchNetworking.com)
OSI  (SearchNetworking.com)
patch cord  (SearchNetworking.com)
staggered quadrature phase-shift keying  (SearchNetworking.com)

RELATED RESOURCES
2020software.com, trial software downloads for accounting software, ERP software, CRM software and business software systems
Search Bitpipe.com for the latest white papers and business webcasts
Whatis.com, the online computer dictionary



Search and Browse the Expert Answer Center
Search and browse more than 25,000 question and answer pairs from more than 250 TechTarget industry experts.
Browse our Expert Advice



Expert networking advice and tips for IT professionals
Visit KnowledgeStorm's comprehensive and easy to use business white paper directory.
HomeNewsTopicsITKnowledge ExchangeTipsAsk the ExpertsMultimediaWhite PapersNetworking Product Trials
About Us  |  Contact Us  |  For Advertisers  |  For Business Partners  |  Site Index  |  RSS
SEARCH 
TechTarget provides enterprise IT professionals with the information they need to perform their jobs - from developing strategy, to making cost-effective IT purchase decisions and managing their organizations' IT projects - with its network of technology-specific Web sites, events and magazines.

TechTarget Corporate Web Site  |  Media Kits  |  Reprints  |  Site Map




All Rights Reserved, Copyright 2000 - 2008, TechTarget | Read our Privacy Policy
  TechTarget - The IT Media ROI Experts