A device that interconnects nodes in an Ethernet network, providing greater throughput than an Ethernet hub (for more details, see switched Ethernet).
Unmanaged and Managed
The most basic Ethernet switch is unmanaged. Unmanaged switches have no configuration capability. They are placed in the network, the cables are plugged in, and the units are turned on.
In contrast, a managed Ethernet switch can be configured into virtual LANs (VLANs), port bandwidths can be adjusted, and the spanning tree protocol can be enabled. Settings can be edited via command line, by an SNMP console station or a Web browser. See virtual LAN and spanning tree algorithm.
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