User manual

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25
LANCOM Installation Guide Switches – Network Planning
Network Planning
Introduction to Switching
A switch allows simultaneous transmission of multiple packets, it can
partition a network more efficiently than bridges or routers. Therefore,
the switch has been recognized as one of the most important device for
today’s networking technology.
When performance bottlenecks are caused by congestion at the network
access point such as file server, the device can be connected directly to
a switched port. And, by using full-duplex mode, the bandwidth of the
dedicated segment can be doubled to maximize throughput. When
networks are based on repeater (hub) technology, the distance between
end stations is limited by a maximum hop count. However, a switch can
subdivide the network into smaller and better manageable segments and
recombine them to larger networks, thus removing the limitations by the
maximum hop count.
A switch can be easily configured in any Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, or Gigabit
Ethernet network to significantly increase bandwidth while using conven-
tional cabling and network cards.
Application Examples
The switches implement Gigabit Ethernet TP ports with auto MDIX and
slots for removable SFP modules which support comprehensive types of
fiber connection, such as LC and BiDi-LC modules. It is not only designed
to segment your network, but also to provide a wide range of options in
setting up network connections. Some typical applications are described
below.