this post was submitted on 18 Apr 2024
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WTF is up with switches? (lazysoci.al)
submitted 7 months ago by sabreW4K3@lazysoci.al to c/homelab@lemmy.ml
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cross-posted from: https://lazysoci.al/post/12597342

Okay, I've been watching lots of YouTube videos about switches and I've just made myself more confused. Managed versus unmanaged seems to be having a GUI versus not having a GUI, but why would anyone want a GUI on a switch? Shouldn't your router do that? Also, a switch is like a tube station for local traffic, essentially an extension lead, so why do some have fans?

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[–] sabreW4K3@lazysoci.al 3 points 7 months ago (14 children)

So can't a router do the VLAN stuff?

[–] superb@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (8 children)

A router usually can do all that but it also does a whole lot more, like NAT, DHCP, etc. Sometimes you need a just a switch that understands VLANs and link aggregation

[–] XTL@sopuli.xyz 6 points 7 months ago (4 children)

A router is often just a switch with extra steps.

[–] sabreW4K3@lazysoci.al 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

So a router simply connects the WAN with the LAN. But doesn't the modem do that?

[–] catloaf@lemm.ee 8 points 7 months ago (1 children)

No, a modem modulates and demodulates a signal. Basically, they're a converter. For example, to send your Ethernet traffic over coax. They don't often understand or care about what's in an Ethernet frame.

[–] sabreW4K3@lazysoci.al 2 points 7 months ago

Thank you

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