LAN Switching

A computer network is a collection of two or more computer systems that are linked together. A
network connection can be established using either cable or wireless media. Hardware and software
are used to connect computers and tools in any network.

A computer network consists of various kinds of nodes. Servers, networking hardware, personal
computers, and other specialized or general-purpose hosts can all be nodes in a computer network.
Hostnames and network addresses are used to identify them. A node can be a computer, printer, or
any other device capable of sending and receiving data generated by other nodes in the network.

LAN Switching:

LAN stands for Local-area Network. It is a computer network that covers a relatively small area such
as within a building or campus of up to a few kilometers in size. LANs are generally used to connect
personal computers and workstations in company offices to share common resources, like printers,
and exchange information.

LAN switching is a technology that promises to increase the efficiency of local area networks and
solve the current bandwidth problems. Examples of Lan Switching are as follows:

• Wired LAN: Ethernet, Hub, Switch

• Wireless LAN: Wi-fi

Advantages of LAN Switching:

• It can give rise to an increase in network scalability, which means that network can expand as
the demand grows.

• Each network user can experience good and improved bandwidth performance.

• The setup of LAN is easy as compared to other switching techniques.

Disadvantages of LAN Switching:

• The cost of setting up a LAN network is quite High.

• privacy violations is another disadvantage as one LAN user/administrator can check the
personal files of every user present in that network.

• since each one has the power to check other users data security is a major issue.
 • LAN faces many problems mainly related to hardware problems and system failure. so a good
cost of maintenance.

• since all the computers are connected to the network a virus-infected to one of the
computers may cause a spread to all the computers present in that network.

Applications of LAN Switching:

• A LAN could be used to connect printers, desktops, file servers, storage of arrays.

• LANs direct traffic between endpoints in a local area server.

How can LAN switching help?

LAN switching technology addresses the existing issues of the bandwidth and helps to improve the
overall efficiency of the LAN. They also provide interconnection between all the other nodes in that
area network.

Benefits of LAN switching over other switching techniques?

LAN switching provides increased scalability which means the network can be expanded as per our
requirements. In LAN switching many simultaneous connections can be done. In LAN since all nodes
are connected to each other the chances of failure are very less.

How LAN Switches Work?

Switches are an important component of many networks because they speed up operations.
Switches allow smooth and efficient direct communication between different nodes (network
connection points, usually computers) on a network. Networks and switches come in many forms. A
LAN switch is a switch that provides unique connectivity to each node in an organization’s internal
network. Essentially, a LAN switch sets up a series of temporary networks that span only the two
devices currently exchanging data. In the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) architecture, the Layer
2 data link layer is where network switches physically operate. It receives packets sent by a device
connected to a physical port and sends them to their destination. Switches also work at layer 3 or the
network layer where routing takes place. Networks based on Ethernet, Fiber Channel, Asynchronous
Transfer Mode (ATM), and InfiniBand often include switches as components. Ethernet is used in most
switches today.

Types of Switches:

• Unmanaged Switch: Unmanaged network switches are built into plug-and-play devices that
require no configuration to function. Unmanaged switches are typically used for simple
 connectivity. If you are at work, in a lab, in a conference room, or just need a few extra ports,
you will typically find them on your home network.

• Managed Switch: Managed switches can be configured to fit your network perfectly,
increasing functionality, flexibility, and security. With enhanced management, you can
protect your network more effectively and better serve your network users.

• Network Switches and Hubs: A local area network, also called a LAN, has a central
connection point for devices called a network hub. Hub-based networks only allow users to
share a fixed amount of bandwidth. As more devices connect to a network hub, data transfer
times increase. Switches work around these and other network hub limitations. A large
network may have multiple switches connected to multiple computer system groups.
Routers typically connect to these switches and allow connected devices to access the
Internet.

Working on Switch:

• The switch records the media access control (MAC) addresses of attached devices, a code
embedded in the attached device’s network interface card (NIC). The NIC is connected to an
Ethernet cable connected to the switch. The switch uses MAC addresses to determine which
devices to send outgoing packets to and where to send incoming packets.

• Network layers (Layer 3) IP addresses can be dynamically assigned to devices and can change
over time, whereas MAC addresses identify physical devices and are static. (Think of the IP
address as the license plate and the MAC address as his VIN on the car.)

• The switch scans the header of each packet that arrives, compares the destination address,
and then delivers the packet to the destination device through the correct port. Most
switches have the full-duplex capability, allowing packets sent to and received from a device
to access the full bandwidth of the switch link, allowing network traffic to flow
simultaneously to and from the switch and attached devices. less likely to collide. (Imagine
two people having a conversation using a smartphone instead of a walkie-talkie.)

• The switch can operate on Layer 3 in addition to Layer 2. This is required to support virtual
LANs (VLANs), logical network segments that can span subnets. The switch operates at Layer
2, but can also operate on Layer 3. The switch can operate on Layer 3 in addition to Layer 2.
This is required to support virtual LANs (VLANs), logical network segments that can span
subnets. The switch operates on Layer 2, but can also operate on Layer 3. Traffic must transit
through switches in order to move from one subnet to another, and this is made easier by
the switches’ built-in routing capabilities.
 LINK LAYER SWITCH

A Link-Layer Switch, also known as a Layer 2 Switch, operates at the Data Link Layer (Layer 2) of the
OSI model. It is responsible for forwarding Ethernet frames based on MAC (Media Access Control)
addresses. Unlike traditional network hubs, which broadcast data to all devices in a network
segment, switches selectively forward frames to the correct destination, improving efficiency,
security, and performance.

1. Key Functions of Link-Layer Switches

A Link-Layer switch performs the following primary functions:

A. Learning (Building the MAC Address Table)

• The switch learns about connected devices by examining the source MAC address of
incoming Ethernet frames.

• It records the MAC address and the corresponding port number in its MAC address table
(also called a forwarding table).

• Over time, the switch maintains a mapping of which MAC addresses belong to which ports,
reducing the need to flood frames unnecessarily.

B. Forwarding and Filtering

• Forwarding:

o If the switch finds the destination MAC address in its MAC table, it forwards the
frame only to the specific port where the destination device is connected.

o This prevents unnecessary traffic on other network segments.

• Filtering:

o If the source and destination MAC addresses belong to the same port (e.g., two
devices communicating through the same switch port), the switch discards the
frame instead of forwarding it.

C. Flooding

If the switch does not have the destination MAC address in its MAC table, it floods the frame to all
ports except the source port. This process ensures the frame reaches its intended recipient, allowing
the switch to learn the correct MAC-port association.

D. Loop Prevention (Spanning Tree Protocol - STP)

In large networks, redundant connections between switches are necessary for fault tolerance.
However, they can lead to switching loops, causing network instability and excessive broadcast traffic
(broadcast storms).

To prevent this, switches implement Spanning Tree Protocol (STP, IEEE 802.1D):

• STP automatically detects redundant paths and blocks one or more of them to ensure a
loop-free topology.

• If a primary link fails, STP automatically activates a previously blocked link to maintain
network connectivity.

2. Switching Methods

A Link-Layer switch can use different methods to forward Ethernet frames. The three primary
techniques are:

A. Store-and-Forward Switching

• The switch receives the entire Ethernet frame, checks for errors using Cyclic Redundancy
Check (CRC), and then forwards it.

• Advantages:

o Ensures error-free data transmission.

o Discards corrupted frames, improving network integrity.

• Disadvantages:

o Slightly higher latency due to the error-checking process.

• The switch forwards the frame as soon as it reads the destination MAC address, without
waiting for the entire frame.

• Advantages:

o Lower latency, making it ideal for high-speed networks.

• Disadvantages:

o Does not detect corrupted frames, which could lead to errors spreading through the
network.

C. Fragment-Free Switching

• A hybrid approach that reads the first 64 bytes of a frame (where most errors occur) before
forwarding it.

• Advantages:

o Faster than Store-and-Forward but more reliable than Cut-Through.

3. Collision Domains vs. Broadcast Domains

Collision Domain

A collision domain is a network segment where devices share bandwidth and may experience data
collisions.

• Hubs create a single large collision domain, leading to frequent network slowdowns.

• Switches divide collision domains by providing a separate domain for each connected
device, allowing multiple simultaneous transmissions.

Broadcast Domain

A broadcast domain consists of all devices that receive a broadcast packet sent by any device in the
network.

• Switches forward broadcast frames to all devices within the same network (VLAN).

• Routers separate broadcast domains, preventing excessive broadcast traffic.

Aspect Hubs Switches

Collision Domain Shared by all devices Each port has its own collision domain

Broadcast Domain One large domain One per VLAN (unless a router is used)

4. MAC Address Table (Forwarding Table)

The MAC address table helps the switch identify which port corresponds to which MAC address.
Example MAC Address Table:

MAC Address Port

00:A1:B2:C3:D4:E5 Port 1

00:F6:G7:H8:I9:J0 Port 2

08:99:AB:CD:EF:11 Port 3

• When a frame arrives at the switch:

o If the destination MAC address is found in the table, the switch forwards the frame
to the appropriate port.

o If the MAC address is unknown, the switch floods the frame to all ports except the
source port.