SMC Networks 8724M INT, Installation Manual

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Introduction to Switching
A network switch allows simultaneous transmission of multiple packets via
non-crossbar switching. This means that it can partition a network more
efficiently than bridges or routers. The switch has, therefore, been recognized
as one of the most important building blocks for today’s networking
technology.
When performance bottlenecks are caused by congestion at the network
access point (such as the network card for a high-volume file server), the
device experiencing congestion (server, power user, or hub) can be attached
directly to a switched port. And, by using full-duplex mode, the bandwidth of
the dedicated segment can be doubled to maximize throughput.
When networks are based on repeater (hub) technology, the distance between
end stations is limited by a maximum hop count. However, a switch turns the
hop count back to zero. So subdividing the network into smaller and more
manageable segments, and linking them to the larger network by means of a
switch, removes this limitation.
A switch can be easily configured in any Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, or Gigabit
Ethernet network to significantly boost bandwidth while using conventional
cabling and network cards.