如果你读过其他HowStuffWorks的文章networkingor theInternet, then you know that a typical network consists of:
- nodes (computers)
- a connecting medium (wired or wireless)
- specialized network equipment likeroutersor hubs.
In the case of the Internet, all of these pieces work together to allow your computer to send information to another computer that could be on the other side of the world!
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Switchesare another fundamental part of many networks because they speed things up. Switches allow differentnodes(a network connection point, typically a computer) of a network to communicate directly with one another in a smooth and efficient manner.
There are many different types of switches and networks. Switches that provide a separate connection for each node in a company's internal network are calledLAN switches. Essentially, a LAN switch creates a series of instant networks that contain only the two devices communicating with each other at that particular moment. In this article, we will focus onEthernetnetworks that use LAN switches. You will learn what a LAN switch is and how transparent bridging works, as well as about VLANs, trunking and spanning trees.
