Can a router be used as a switch

  • Thread starter Thread starter JBH
  • Start date Start date
J

JBH

I have an ISP connection to one router(A) which connected to a swtich.

My room got an ethernet port from the switch.

Now in my room, I want to connect to 3 computer and want to use my room
printer as a print server printer. In the market, there is cheap router
with 1 WAN and 4 LAN ports and built in print server function.

I am considering to buy this to use in my room. Will it work, the sales
say they are not sure.

I am thinking if I just don't use the WAN port, and only the LAN ports,
could it be used as a switch ?

Thanks in advance !

JBH
-- HK
 
I have been using a hub, but there is a lot of collisions. So BigJim,
do you mean that I could use the router as a switch and only can use as
a hub. And I may expect still lot of collisions then.

JBH --HK
 
JBH said:
I have been using a hub, but there is a lot of collisions. So BigJim,
do you mean that I could use the router as a switch and only can use as
a hub. And I may expect still lot of collisions then.

JBH --HK
Click to expand...
No. Standard SOHO routers include a switch, not a hub. The basic
difference
is that a hub transmits each inbound packet to all outbound ports, while a
switch looks at the address of each inbound packet and only transmits it to
the intended port. So, hubs cause lots of collisions, while switches
eliminate most collisions.
 
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