What is the difference between routing and switching?

Routing And Switching Questions



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What is the difference between routing and switching?

Routing and switching are two fundamental concepts in networking.

Routing refers to the process of selecting the best path for data packets to travel from one network to another. It involves analyzing the destination IP address of the packet and using routing protocols to determine the most efficient route. Routers are responsible for performing routing functions and making decisions based on network layer information (IP addresses).

Switching, on the other hand, is the process of forwarding data packets within a network. It occurs at the data link layer (Layer 2) of the OSI model. Switches use MAC addresses to determine the destination of the packet and forward it to the appropriate port. Switches are commonly used to connect devices within a local area network (LAN).

In summary, routing is concerned with finding the best path between networks, while switching focuses on forwarding data within a network.