The question is:

SWITCH is faster than ROUTER ?

                   because switch is hardware based while router is software based and will be passed to the OS.

ROUTERS

• used to connect networks together 
• route packet of data from one network to another routers.

SWITCHES

• add more intelligence to data transfer management
• it performs forwarding/ filtering decisions
• collision avoidance
• prawn in broadcast traffic however it can defect and record all the device in the network 
• Loop avoidance

• Advantages of Computer Networking

  
  

  1. Easy Communication and Speed

  It is very easy to communicate through a network. People can communicate efficiently using a network with a group of people. They can enjoy the benefit of emails, instant messaging, telephony, video conferencing, chat rooms, etc.

  2. Ability to Share Files, Data and Information

  This is one of the major advantages of networking computers. People can find and share information and data because of networking. This is beneficial for large organizations to maintain their data in an organized manner and facilitate access for desired people.

  3. Sharing Hardware

  Another important advantage of networking is the ability to share hardware. For an example, a printer can be shared among the users in a network so that there’s no need to have individual printers for each and every computer in the company. This will significantly reduce the cost of purchasing hardware.

  4. Sharing Software

  Users can share software within the network easily. Networkable versions of software are available at considerable savings compared to individually licensed version of the same software. Therefore large companies can reduce the cost of buying software by networking their computers.

  5. Security

  Sensitive files and programs on a network can be password protected. Then those files can only be accessed by the authorized users. This is another important advantage of networking when there are concerns about security issues. Also each and every user has their own set of privileges to prevent them accessing restricted files and programs.

  6. Speed

  Sharing and transferring files within networks is very rapid, depending on the type of network. This will save time while maintaining the integrity of files.

• Disadvantages of Networking

  1. Breakdowns and Possible Loss of Resources

  One major disadvantage of networking is the breakdown of the whole network due to an issue of the server. Such breakdowns are frequent in networks causing losses of thousands of dollars each year. Therefore once established it is vital to maintain it properly to prevent such disastrous breakdowns. The worst scenario is such breakdowns may lead to loss of important data of the server.

  2. Expensive to Build

  Building a network is a serious business in many occasions, especially for large scale organizations. Cables and other hardware are very pricey to buy and replace.

  3. Security Threats

  Security threats are always problems with large networks. There are hackers who are trying to steal valuable data of large companies for their own benefit. So it is necessary to take utmost care to facilitate the required security measures.

  4. Bandwidth Issues

  In a network there are users who consume a lot more bandwidth than others. Because of this some other people may experience difficulties.

  Although there are disadvantages to networking, it is a vital need in today’s environment. People need to access the Internet, communicate and share information and they can’t live without that. Therefore engineers need to find alternatives and improved technologies to overcome issues associated with networking. Therefore we can say that computer networking is always beneficial to have even if there are some drawbacks.

Network ---- topology

               

                                      NETWORK TOPOLOGY

1. Bus Topology

2. Ring Topology

3. Star Topology

BUS TOPOLOGY 

Single cable connects all network nodes without intervening connectivity devices

Devices share responsibility for getting data from one point to another

Terminators stop signals after reaching end of wire

Prevent signal bounce

Inexpensive, not very scalable

Difficult to troubleshoot, not fault-tolerant

ADVANTAGE OF BUS TOPOLOGY

• Works well for small networks
• Relatively inexpensive to implement
• Easy to add to it

DISADVANTAGE OF BUS TOPOLOGY

• Management costs can be high
• Potential for congestion with network traffic

RING TOPOLOGY

Ring topology

One method for passing data on ring networks is token passing

ADVANTAGE OF RING TOPOLOGY

• Easier to manage; easier to locate a defective node or cable problem
• Well-suited for transmitting signals over long distances on a LAN
• Handles high-volume network traffic
• Enables reliable communication

DISADVANTAGE OF RING TOPOLOGY

• Expensive
• Requires more cable and network equipment at the start
• Fewer options for expansion to high-speed communication

STAR TOPOLOGY

Any single cable connects only two devices

Cabling problems affect two nodes at most

Requires more cabling than ring or bus networks

More fault-tolerant

Easily moved, isolated, or interconnected with other networks

Scalable

Supports max of 1024 addressable nodes on logical network

ADVANTAGE OF STAR TOPOLOGY

• Good option for modern networks
• Low start up costs
• Easy to manage
• Offers opportunities for expansion
• Most popular topology in use; wide variety of equipment available

DISADVANTAGE OF STAR TOPOLOGY

• Hub is a single point of failure
• Requires more cable than the bus

DISTRIBUTED BACKBONE

COLLAPSED BACKBONE

PARALLEL BACKBONE

LOGICAL TOPOLOGY

• Logical topology: how data is transmitted between nodes
• May not match physical topology
• Bus logical topology: signals travel from one network device to all other devices on network
• Required by bus, star, star-wired physical topologies
• Ring logical topology: signals follow circular path between sender and receiver
• Required by ring, star-wired ring topologies