võrgulüliti

Võrgulüliti, commonly known as a network switch, is a telecommunications device that connects devices on a computer network by using packet switching to receive, process, and forward data to the destination device. Switches are a key component of most modern local area networks (LANs). They operate at the data link layer (Layer 2) of the OSI model, meaning they use MAC addresses to direct traffic.

When a data packet arrives at a switch, the switch examines the destination MAC address within the packet. It then consults its internal MAC address table, which maps MAC addresses to specific ports on the switch. If the destination MAC address is found in the table, the switch forwards the packet only to the port associated with that address. If the destination MAC address is not yet in the table, the switch will flood the packet to all ports except the one it arrived on. Over time, the switch learns the location of devices and becomes more efficient.

Unlike older hubs, which simply repeated incoming data to all connected devices, switches create dedicated, point-to-point connections between sender and receiver, significantly reducing network congestion and improving performance. This makes them essential for efficient data communication in businesses and homes. Modern switches also offer advanced features like virtual LANs (VLANs), quality of service (QoS), and security protocols.