Computer Network Basics Questions Medium
A network switch is a device used in computer networks to connect multiple devices together and facilitate communication between them. It operates at the data link layer of the OSI model and is responsible for receiving data packets from one device and forwarding them to the appropriate destination device within the network. Unlike a hub, which simply broadcasts data to all connected devices, a switch intelligently directs data packets only to the intended recipient, thereby improving network efficiency and reducing congestion. Switches can be either managed or unmanaged, with managed switches offering additional features such as VLAN support, Quality of Service (QoS) settings, and network monitoring capabilities.