Computer Network Switches
By Stephen Bucaro
A bridge or router may be referred to as a "switch" because it uses information in the
data packet to choose a path from one network segment to another. A bridge may be referred to
as a "layer 2 switch" because it uses information from layer 2, the Data Link layer of
the OSI model. A router may be referred to as a "layer 3 switch" because it uses information
from layer 3, the Network layer of the OSI model. A network device that uses a higher layer of
the OSI model may be referred to as a "layer 4 switch", and so on.
More Networking Protocols and Standards:
• Comparing IPv4 and IPv6 at a Glance
• Internet Security and VPN Network Design
• IPv6 Neighbor Discovery Protocol (NDP)
• TCP/IP Features
• Evolution of the Microsoft NOS (Active Directory)
• Wireless Network Standards - 80211a, 80211b, 80211g, 80211n, 80216
• NTP Server Systems - The Network Time Protocol
• Comparison of the Layers of the OSI and TCP/IP Models
• Session Border Controllers - More Than Just a Voice Firewall
• IPv6 Dynamic Address Allocation
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