Installation Guide for the Model SW502 and Model SW507 Ethernet Switches
Configuration Examples
5-3
Figure 5-1. Model SW502 switch used as a two-port bridge
Multiport Bridges with High-bandwidth Backbone
Most networks are interconnected with two-port bridges that insert latency into normal
communications. For data that must pass through several bridges to reach its destination, this latency
can degrade communications. With several 10 Mbps bridging ports and the additional internally
bridged 100 Mbps port, the Model SW507 switch can segment a complex network into a single
efficient bridged node, increasing overall bandwidth and throughput. Segments attached to the
switching hub do not have to cross the backbone. They can now reach each other at near-zero latency.
For high-bandwidth applications that transfer data across the network backbone, the 100 Mbps port
provides high-speed fast access. Figure 5-2 illustrates the NETGEAR Model EN516 10BASE-T hubs
and the NETGEAR Model FE516 integrated with the Model SW507 switch.