Is a Network Switch the Same as a Router?

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › Is a Network Switch the Same as a Router?

Benjour

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# 213921 19-Apr-2017 08:39

I know michaelmurfy has already covered routers recently, but I need a straight yes or no answer. Please excuse the simple/broad terms I may use.

Here we go:

Can a network switch, be used like a normal WiFi router, for just Ethernet, to provide Internet connection to my PC? Secondly, do they all support VLAN Tagging and stuff for Fibre (e.g. will the cheapest one from PB Tech work)?

I know I'm using simpleton language, and that this may seem like a stupid question; but please, I need to know. Once this has been answered, there need not be any other replies; unless the answer was wrong there is more important information to know about it.

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Vocus

# 1767075 19-Apr-2017 08:46

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Simple answer: No.

A switch is not a router.

A "Layer 3 Managed Switch" is sort of, kind of, like a router, but usually won't do things like NAT, DHCP, DNS Caching as needed for an Internet connection, just very basic routing between VLANs.

Cheap switches are not managed, won't do VLAN tagging, etc.

HTH

lxsw20

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# 1767076 19-Apr-2017 08:47

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Behodar

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# 1767077 19-Apr-2017 08:47

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An overly simple explanation is that a switch just connects all the wires together but doesn't have any "logic" in it. It therefore can't handle VLAN tagging etc.

Benjour

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# 1767079 19-Apr-2017 08:49

Thanks for that. Just one more question then, what switches, if any, will let me connect to the Internet (preferably from PB Tech), and how you tell if they will?

ubergeeknz

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Vocus

# 1767080 19-Apr-2017 08:50

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Benjour: Thanks for that. Just one more question then, what switches, if any, will let me connect to the Internet (preferably from PB Tech), and how you tell if they will?

None. You need a router.

Benjour

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# 1767082 19-Apr-2017 08:53

Well then. That settles that. Could you point be in the direction of the cheapest router that has only Ethernet (if one with WiFi is cheaper I'll still take that). All I need is for my PC to always have Internet, it doesn't need to be fast, it just needs to work.

PaulBags

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# 1767083 19-Apr-2017 08:56

You need a router connected to your ont, with your pc somewhere behind that. Switches just allow lan devices to talk to each other and to the router, to get traffic to/from the internet you need to route it - hence router.

You've seen routers with ~4 lan ports before? Esentially those 4 ports are a switch built into the router - how you use those ports is how you'd use a switch if you had one.

Inphinity

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# 1767084 19-Apr-2017 08:56

You will want a router, not a switch.

ubergeeknz

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Vocus

# 1767087 19-Apr-2017 09:03

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Wait. Aren't you the guy who was asking about using an rPi as a router before?

surfisup1000

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# 1767090 19-Apr-2017 09:08

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You are on fibre just use the modem/router supplied by the isp.... if you need more Ethernet ports, buy a cheap GB switch and connect it to the modem router...it should have an Ethernet port for this but check.

Probably it would help if u told us your ISP and number of Ethernet ports you need too.

richms

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# 1767094 19-Apr-2017 09:17

Not many cheap routers do vlan tagging, best get one of the ones supplied by your ISP - look on trademe for people that are offloading them because they have upgraded to an overpriced fancy looking router.

Richard rich.ms

lxsw20

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# 1767104 19-Apr-2017 09:22

http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/networking-modems/modems/auction-1303076882.htm

Will only work up to 100mbit and the WiFi is just so so, but will do what you want.

DarkShadow

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# 1767111 19-Apr-2017 09:31

If you're just connecting a single PC to the internet, you don't need a router, or a switch. You can simply plug the PC directly into the ONT.

Benjour

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# 1767117 19-Apr-2017 09:39

I use Spark. And I need just one. As Spark need VLAN Tagging and stuff to be able to connect to the Internet on Fibre, I can't just plug it into the ONT.

PaulBags

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# 1767124 19-Apr-2017 09:50

Benjour:
I use Spark. And I need just one. As Spark need VLAN Tagging and stuff to be able to connect to the Internet on Fibre, I can't just plug it into the ONT.

I don't know much about vlan tagging myself, but, are you sure you're PCs NIC doesn't support vlan tagging? I have a feeling newer intel NICs probably do. If you're looking for a cheap solution for just one PC and you have spare expansion slots in your PC, a new network might be an option, if your currect NIC doesn't support vlan.

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