Difference between router and switch

The main difference between router and switch is, a router is a device that connects multiple networks together. In contrast, a switch is a single network hub that allows several computers to share the same internet connection.

In this article, we will discuss the difference between a router and a switch for better understanding.

Router

A router connects computers together using a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN). Routers are often found at home or office locations where they connect multiple devices such as PCs, printers, smartphones, tablets, etc.

You need a router if you want to share files between computers. If you only have one computer, then you don’t really need a router.

However, if you have multiple computers, you may want to use a router to ensure they can all access the internet simultaneously. You might even want to use a router if you have multiple computers hooked up to the same modem/cable box.

Switch

Switches are network devices that are used in the second layer (Data link layer) of the OSI model. They connect network devices (such as computers, printers, and wireless access points) and send data packets or data frames over the network by using packet switching. It supports unicast, multicast, and broadcast.

Switches allow us to connect our home appliances to the Internet. They also allow us to connect our smartphones to the Internet via Wi-Fi. In addition, switches enable us to connect our laptops to the Internet via Ethernet cables.

Switch vs Router

The difference between the switch and router is given below

Switch	Router
Switches operate at 2 layers (Data link layer) of the OSI model.	Routers operate at 3 layers (network layer) of the OSI model.
It is a half-duplex in nature.	It is full-duplex in nature.
Switches can work only with a wired network	Routers can work with wired and wireless networks.
They are compatible with NAT.	They are not compatible with NAT.
In LAN switches work faster as compared to routers.	In LAN and MAN networks, routers work faster as compared to switches.
The switch has only one broadcast domain except VLAN implemented.	In the router, every port has its own broadcast domain.
Types of routing:  Adaptive routing Non-adaptive routing	Types of switching: Circuit switching Packet switching Message Switching
The router connects various networks simultaneously.	The switch connects various network devices simultaneously.
Data is sent in the form of packets.	Data is sent in the form of frames.

Related FAQs