• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

switch vs router?

C

Corporate Thug

Lifer
what is the difference? isnt a router just a switch with a firewall?

i got a switch for my friend so he can network two computers. 1 works fine and the other doesnt. when the one that works is unplugged by the other works fine. basically, both wont work at the same time. my friend is convinced it is cuz he has a switch rather than a router
 
A router has the ability to look at TCP/IP packets and decide where they are supposed to go. For example, you could use a router to connect two subnets, one with 192.168.1.x IP addresses and another with 192.168.2.x IP addresses. If the computer with the IP address of 192.168.1.10 sends information to the computer with the IP of 192.168.2.23, the router will route these packets from one subnet to the other. If a computer sends info to a computer on the same subnet, the router will know not to route it.

A switch doesn't do this. It just lets two computers communicate directly based on the MAC address built into the network card. Switches connect the computers together that are on the same subnet.

If your friend wants to network 2 computers, a switch will do that. If he wants to network those 2 computers and also let them share broadband(cable/DSL) Internet access, he needs a router. Most broadband routers also have a 4 port switch to let you network 4 computers. They also route between the 4 computers and the Internet, so you're actually getting a switch and router together in one box. I use the Netgear RP614 WebSafe Router with my cable Internet connection.
 
I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "won't work". but my gues is that your IPs and subnet masks aren't matchin up right. So basically what you need to do is go to the TCP/IP properties for the network adapter on both computer set the first 3 parts of their IP's to be the same, and the last part to be different. and then make their subnet masks to be 255.255.255.0. That should let the 2 computers "see" each other.

And yes, if you're just looking for a simple network, (no common connect to the internet) then you don't need a router
 
If he's plugging the Internet cable into the switch uplink then the 2 computer via the normal client ports, then 2 PCs connected at the same time won't work because each computer needs to be able to grab an IP address each. So you'd need 2 IP addresses and he might only have 1 IP address with his Internet package.
 
Originally posted by: JackMDS
AnandTech - FAQ. Basic Options for Internet Connection Sharing

Link: AnandTech - FAQ. Hubs, routers, switches, DSL, LANs, WANs...?

Ignore the prices in the links above. Currently similar hardware can be found for 60%-90% less.
Click to expand...

Yup, good explanations. And remember that 99% of the time when someone says the problem is that they have a switch instead of a router (or a switch instead of a hub or whatever), the real problem is they have no idea what the hell they are doing.
 
Originally posted by: shady06
so should i return the switch and get a router?
Click to expand...

If what you want to do is allow two (or more) computers to share an internet connection, yes, you should. If all you need to do is connect the two computers to share files between them, and you're not concerned about any internet connection, then you don't need to worry about it.
 
i got a switch for my friend so he can network two computers. 1 works fine and the other doesnt. when the one that works is unplugged by the other works fine. basically, both wont work at the same time. my friend is convinced it is cuz he has a switch rather than a router
Click to expand...

what are the model #s of the router/switch that your friend has? and when you say one works while the other doesnt, are you referring to the computers or to the router/switch? a problem i had when i was setting up my wireless router/switch behind my router, was that it was acting as a gateway, although i didnt want it to. via linksys web interface, i had set the wireless router as a router instead of a gateway. could solve your problem, but then again i'm not completely clear on what you meant.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top