What Is Switch?

In a LAN, switches are the gatekeepers of the data. They're like bouncers at a club: they get to decide who gets in and who doesn't. In networking, a switch is a speed device that receives incoming data and redirects them to its terminus on a local area network (LAN). Switches are used in many networks, including Ethernet and WiFi. They are used to expand a network's reach and optimize performance by balancing traffic loads between various routes. Switches receive incoming data packets from one or more ports (or interfaces) on the device. Each port has its own MAC address, which determines where each package is intended to go. Switches then use this information to choose an appropriate outgoing port for the packet's destination address, anywhere within the LAN. It reduces congestion on shared networks by ensuring all devices have their true path for transmitting information back and forth with other devices across their respective LANs. The layer two switch, also known as a LAN switch, is a network device that operates at the data link layer or the network layer of the OSI Model. It means that a LAN switch can support all types of packet protocols. A layer two switch is sometimes called a bridge: it sends frames containing data packets between nodes or segments of a network. Virtually, switches are the traffic cops of a simple local area network. Switching establishes the trajectory for the frames as the data units and how the data moves from one network area to another. Just like a real-life traffic cop on the road, it switches direct traffic to its intended destination by sending information about where it must go. They also help prevent collisions by ensuring that only one frame can be in each "lane" at any time.