If we need flexibility to react to an increase in the components of a network, we are looking for the help of a switch , which will allow us to interconnect all the components through Ethernet cables.
In this way, we can get a network that can separate traffic with confidential information and adapt it according to the designed architecture. Also, do not confuse the work done by the switch with that of the router or with a hub, even if they have similar aspects
In this post we will show you what a WiFi switch is , as well as all the aspects and benefits that exist when we are inclined to incorporate this device.
Index:
What is a WiFi switch and what is this device for?
Many people get confused between a router and a switch , although it is true that they have similar functions and their physical appearance is too, but there are important tasks performed by this device. To deepen a little more about what a switch is, we will first have to distinguish these two technological equipment.
The router is the device that is responsible for carrying and bringing the required information between the components of a wireless network through radio frequencies. Get the Internet signal through the modem.
Instead, the switch is the device responsible for connecting the different devices that can access the network through a cable . In turn, it connects to the router so that it can transmit the Internet signal to all those work points that are connected to it.
A hierarchical network is formed in which the different nodes depend on this device. That is, the function of the switch is to connect different devices to the network in a wired way .
In this way it is possible to minimize interference in the data transmission, thus generating the increase in connection quality. Therefore, a printer, a computer and any device can have access to the Internet or any other data that can be transmitted between them.
What aspects should you consider before choosing a good Switch for our network?
There are different kinds of switches that we can find in the market , each of them are characterized by different numbers of ports as well as the ability to transmit the connection in a fast way.
When we don’t have specific requirements, we can choose according to the following parameters:
Number of ports , the most common switches are those that come between 5 and 8 ports, so if they do meet the expectations we have they will do very well . Keep in mind that one of those ports will go to the connection to the router , therefore, when we talk about a 5-port switch we can use only 4 of them.
Existence of Gigabit Ethernet port , in this way we guarantee a very good speed so that the devices can be connected when we have fiber optics. If we need a lower speed, which is not at all recommended today , we can connect it with a 10/100 router, which will limit the connection considerably.
It must have the possibility of being configurable, since the “closed” models exist.
For slightly more complex cases, the switch must allow the network architecture to be hierarchical but also extensible and not resist the different firewalls that the network may have.
What are the benefits of using a device as an access point to our switched network?
When we add a switch to our network we can obtain the benefits that we mention below:
- It generates a greater bandwidth for those devices that can access Internet browsing, since it is not divided as with other kinds of technological equipment.
- Performance improvement , as well as also the security that exist between connections by causing them to merge.
- Increase the speed of data output between the interconnection of the different components of the network.
- The wait time is much shorter when one of these is used equipment.
- We can achieve a greater range when we can configure the switch.
What features should the equipment we use as a switch have?
As with all computing things, not all the equipment we can use can be suitable for our needs.
According to this, we will analyze what are the characteristics that a switch must have:
- Must be compatible with the configuration methods that exist in the network architecture. In addition, it must also be programmed so that it can connect without any conflicts with the router.
- You have to allow network separation for those that transmit confidential data, so that the rest of the other networks cannot access them.
- A bit related to the previous topic is that, you must allow the implementation of VLAN , in order to separate networks.
- A very important issue that is required for a good swicth is that should allow the improvement of the perimeter security of the network through physical protection or any other method.
- You must allow greater reliability to approve us having a network availability that generates an optimization of resources.
Steps to mount a switch in our WiFi network to service more computers
As we have talked about before, there are different kinds of switch, some for domestic use and many more complicated ones that will depend on the architecture of the network.
Configuring a switch from 5 to 8 ports for domestic use does not require much technical knowledge, since the switch is considered in the network as “transparent” because it does not have an IP address assigned by part of the router.
In the following paragraphs we will show you the steps we need to be able to mount a switch on our WiFi network. They are:
Switch connection
The first step we are going to take is to connect our computer with an Ethernet cable to the router. P To do this we choose the appropriate port and insert the connector into it .
In the same way we will do it with our router.
Power Supply
The switches, like many devices, operate with a voltage between 210 to 230 volts, therefore, we can connect it directly to the electrical installation of our home without any transformer.
That is, in this step what we will do is connect it to the house’s electrical energy.
Incorporation of the devices
It is time to assemble our network in mesh or star, for this we will have to connect each of the computers with the router.
These devices can be computers, printers, televisions and any other that we need to be in our network.
Industrial switch
The same does not happen when we need a slightly more specialized switch where will already need an IP address and other features .
For this case a professional or much more advanced technological knowledge will be needed to perform this task.
How to set up an access point in our local network?
To be able to convert a device into an access point, through which there will be an intense transit and then be able to distribute it to the different components of the network, it is necessary to take steps so that the configuration does not generate conflicts.
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That is, generating an access point, means creating the gateway that a network will have to access the Internet in a compatible way between the different nodes.
To configure we will follow this guide:
- We enter the router configuration, through our browser we write in the address bar accoun192.168.1.1†.
- Next, we dump the data of username and password .
- We go to the left side of the configuration panel. For this case we will use a router “Tp-Link” . It is necessary to clarify that, according to the brands, some names of the commands change, but not the configuration itself.
- We go to “WiFi configuration” .
- We write in SSID the same as the router and the one with the access point.
- In “Password” we will do exactly The same as in SSID, we will put the same for the new gateway and router.
- We will do the same steps for “Security” and “Encryption” .
- In “Channel” , we will have to be careful at this point because it is the one that will differentiate the entire configuration. We will write different for the router and the gateway.
- We choose accountAccept .
Can you install a switch that can only slow my Internet speed? Is it a myth?
Many people believe that using the switch what it does is interconnect devices to form a network and at the same time divide the bandwidth between the different components to which it connects, as It happens with a hub .
This is not the case, provided there is a Gigabit Ethernet port connected to a router with a fiber optic connection, for example.