Routers vs. Switches vs. Access Points - And More
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- Опубліковано 8 лип 2024
- Routers, switches, access points, modems, hubs, bridges...what is the difference between all these network devices?!
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2:23 Linus "This is a great moment to pull out my phone to show my point..."
Editor "nope."
I'm very sure that's just Linus using a controller on his hip to progress the teleprompter. He's talked about it multiple times
@@cupparuppa No, I think he definitely had a phone in his hand and was passing it to the other hand. Why would he need to do that if he was just pressing a button to advance the prompter?
😂
Eian Johnson You can actually see the phone for a little bit before the B roll comes in
@@cupparuppa nah he does reach down to progress the teleprompter, but in that specific scene he's bringing something up, and it looks like a phone
You could have mentioned that all those things operate on different layers.
A hub works on layer 1 is practically just sticking several cables together. So a hub does nothing smart. It's just physically splitting the cables, which then of course results in lots of packet collisions, when two devices send at the same time. Also all devices get all the traffic, which might not be what you want. So this works on a very small scale, but the more devices are tied together like that the worse it gets.
A switch works on layer 2 (with the ethernet protocol) and addresses the devices by the MAC address. Thus you reduce the packet collisions and devices only get these frames that where meant for them. But a switch does not do any actual (IP based) routing, and because of that devices on a switch need to be on the same subnet to be able to communicate which each other without the help of a router.
A router works on layer 3 (with the IP protocol) and addresses the devices by their IP address. And a router does actual routing, as in it has a routing table and knows which packet belongs where. It also knows the gateway(s) for outbound traffic.
If you want to know more about that read up on the OSI layer model.
Another thing that i would like to point out: Those things at home that we usually call routers aren't actually (just) routers.They are a combination of a modem, often a wifi access point, DHCP servers and yes also a router. And while they did mention that i don't think they made it clear enough. Because an actual router does just that: It routes traffic. And it does that by looking at the destination IP in an incoming packet, looks at a routing table to see where it needs to send it and then sends it that way. A router does just that. Not more, not less.
I hope that clears up a bit of the confusion in the comments as to why sometimes you just need a modem or a router and a modem or just a router. It's because those "routers" aren't just routers. To connect several devices to the internet you need at least a modem and a router. But often those things are combined into one box.
i am a little confused ,how do routers and switches connect together? do i connect the modem to the switch ? or do i connect the modem to the router and then to the switch? for example lets say i am building a new house, it has two floors. the contractor lined cables from the basement to each of the rooms and the ISP installed a modem down in the basement . now how do i proceed? should i connect the switch to the modem ? or do i need to connect the router to the modem and the switch?
@peri, connect the modem to a router if you want to share the internet.
So for a home network connected to one broadband cable, it goes, broadband- modem -router- switch- connected devices.
Am I right?
And an access point between switch and device if it's a wireless connection
Thanks for the Clarification bu OSI layer- its helpful.
One thing I dont understand:
you said that a switch works with mac addresses and not ips, thus devices need to be on the same subnet to communicate.
Since the switch cant "know" about subnets if it works on layer 2 - how can subnets be a consideration here?
Assuming a (weird) scenario where 2 devices directly connected to a switch are on different subnets (or not assigned ips at all) -
Whats stopping them from addressing each other by MAC address and sending ethernet frames on the switch?
Is it an address resolution problem?
A person is a layer 8
Hubs can be useful sometimes if you want to monitor/debug network traffic and you don't have a switch that can't do port mirroring.
So you're saying my parent can watch my search history. Oh hell no
@@goldenmichael9981 I'm fairly certain that's not quite how it works. (I'm no expert) but I'm pretty sure there would be some extra tinkering required for you parent to actually see your data besides, they would only see your search history if you actually loaded search history and that data was loaded over your hub. etc etc
@@kilian9448 sadly, my parents are into technology
And Hubs are useful for sending emergency messages and spreading rumors! Because they are sent to everyone!
@@karencash39 111Q!1
do a video on how to extend you wifi signal without shity wifi extenders
Buy a better router or use a wifi channel sniffer to see if your router is using the same frequency as other people around you, if it is, change it.
Buy non-shitty wifi extenders. Done.
Is there such a thing? It's been a couple years since I researched range extenders but when I did, they were all shitty.
yea i tried that and every place is taken by one person so i am sharing with one
SnailzRus but its not supposed that if i configure the channel in automatic the router will choose the best channel? why do it manually by myself??
Should do a vid about the diff router protocols out there, like AC, N, B classes etc
Peter KJ Richter router protocol? like rip, eigrp, ospf, is-is. AB, c, n, are AP protocols
Google "IEEE 802.11 standard chart" if it's something you're curious about.
AC, N, B, etc. are WiFi standards, not router protocols. They generally define how fast the connection can be. AC > N > G > B
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11
those are WiFI Standards, not protocols.
Sorry for using the wrong verbage :P You guys knew what I meant...
You know Linus. I always give other You tubers the benefit of the doubt .This explanation was to the point . Without any complicated Jargon that some of your subscribers would have liked you to mention . Thanks again been watching you for many years
As someone who's just entering this networking field, this video has helped a lot. Thanks Linus!
I got Modem to Router (4 gigabit patch cable to switch in bridge parallel), and 16+2 port switch. Gigabit to all the computers in the house, and fiber to my home server. It's been a nice learning experience.
I wanted gigabit connection in my home. I have 150mbps connection So I purchased gigabit router cat6 cable. But when I connected my laptop through ethernet, I realised my laptop's ethernet port only support upto 100mbps lol.
For people who think that modems are old/outdated, they're always required unless you have fiber optics at home. Then you get to choose between a fiber modem(cheaper) or a layer 2 switch with SFP ports(more expensive)
As an IT guy, I apologize for the confusing lingo.
Hub = non-switched hub
Switch = switched hub
They are both hubs. The one that is switched is called a switch and the one that isn't is called a hub. When they first started showing up, they were expensive and used sparingly and careful in office networks.
Access Point, WiFi Extender, WiFi Repeater
Are these all the same thing?
Hi Linus, you are wonderful and your contribution to UA-cam is excellent. There is so much rubbish on UA-cam and it is refreshing to listen to a person like you with intellect and charm. Well done, Linus you are the best!!!
I'm glad this video was made. I asked for it a few weeks ago. Great work LMG!
ahh the old network hub, takes me back to lanning AoE2 with my dad when I was 6 lol
I would actually mention DHCP server as an integral part of a router, as the primary function of a router is not giving out private IP addresses but rather perform NAT (Network Address Translation) tasks between the internal network (with your PC, phone, tablets and fridges in it) and external one (Internet connection). Oftentimes DHCP servers are installed separately from routers for better performance and administration.
Dmitry Granicin the main purpose of a router is to route, do not mix concepts.
Great video! It really helped clarify the differences between all the devices that I need to learn for ICT A-Level.
The energy in your videos are awesome!
Huh, that's funny, Linus said he had never covered Switches before on the 2021-08-27 WAN Show at the end during Superchats. But here he is, explaining it, in a Fast As Possible. To be fair though, you can only remember so much stuff before you just forget things.
Will my response time increase if I connect my PC to a secondary router in AP mode? Rather than plugging my computer directly to the main router? (wired)
I've needed a video like this for years thank you
Thanks for this, Linus! Got to the internet person and they told me I can't use the router, I needed to get a switch and had no idea what he was talking about.
Love the haircut! You've finally left the early 2000's
I want the blond Linus with huge earrings back! 10 videos would be fine amount, thanks
me i didn't even notice. i think the gel looks tacty
Michael Rasmussen Yeah, he has a 90s sitcom bully haircut, now!
90's haircut? You mean not a teen with the swoop hair???
Michael Rasmussen you're one to talk
Have you guys done a video on different audio file formats? Might be something to consider if you haven't already. Perhaps comparing them and explaining use case and compatibility. (MP3, wav, flac, aiff)
Thank you for FINALLY explaining this in an easy to understand way!!!!!!!
I was just about to suggest making a video about this! thanks for the video Linus!
"Aisle 9 3/4"
Some magic needed.
The other day, I got stuck in Aisle e^√32 looking for pygmy elixir that was really in Aisle π^(222!)
I remember the early days of pre 2000 broadband, where ISPs considered it against the terms and even "stealing" to use these "router" devices to have more than one computer connected at the same time under the same plan.
:D
This is a best video ever I attended for differences among all internet interfaces devices. Thanks man
Finally Linus, finally! I was waiting this video for a long time!
I request the title to be changed to: Routers, switches & access points, oh my
(idk why, thats just what I thought of when reading the title)
lions, tigers, bears
linus shall open a pimp my wifi store
Hubs are really useful when it comes to advanced network trougleshooting, as it allows to use packet analyser software to see what's happening in the network.
I'd like to see more videos about network devices, how they works, protocols etc. Love ya
1:34 @Aurinkolahti Helsinki Finland. Torilla tavataan.
Tutun näkösiä kulmia kyllä :D
What about Managed vs Unmanaged switches?
Well... Pretty much the only difference is a managed switch is - Managed.
All that's going on in a managed switch is you are controlling what ports do, configuring trunking for VLANs or port teaming. Unmanaged switches that you pick up off the shelf in big box stores are "managed" by the layer 3 device that they are connected to.
All (Layer 2) switches perform the same function: Store MAC addresses of client devices in a table so that they can be "smart" and forward information to an individual destination. This is the big difference between hubs and switches, hubs are "bit spitters" where each port repeats the same information - With switches, only the destination port is getting the traffic.
To append to what Ke B said: Unless you know you need a managed switch, you probably only need an unmanaged switch
Linus is so awesome at explaining!
Thanks, you solved my confussion between those gadgets! :)
I done CCNA 1 :D doing CCNA 2 soon, its like a really really large memory test.
It's not that complicate, just use packet tracer and all the theory will be very easy to remember :)
oh shit how was the test, im about to take it
The random IOS command part was a bit like a trick question. Some of it was quite easy e.g router bootup stuff and sub-netting. I got quite high marks, but I stressed over it so much coz I had to get 50% or more, I got like 80%, I was shocked. I did skip the packet tracer part through.
what the hell is a modem? i just plug the interet cable from my provider into my router and bam! 1gbps!
@Luke Brown o
Your router has a modem in it then
you need a modem for internet its built into the internet box that is a modem , router , swich
some of them do
Bc ur modem is built in ur router lol
Great concise content. Thank you!
thanks for the explanation linus i'm completely clueless in this field x.x
Please, allow us to translate your videos! These techquickies are really great but people I know won't understand it! I would definitely be translating the videos in at least my native language!
I wish my professors at college could explain stuff as well as Linus does. I'm getting this content for practically free meanwhile I'm paying thousands of dollars for lesser quality stuff....
Thank you so much for this video!
this video helped me a lot, thanks linuss
Fiber doesn't use a "modem". Your ONT converts the fiber light wavelength into Ethernet or MoCA that your router connects to.
Media converter converts Light signal to the electric signal, then it's connected to the modem. If the modem doesn't support a fiber optic cable..
That's a modem
Your street example is great!
needed this video, thanks!
YAY! Psyched to see this video! I hope it's really really detailed.
Okay, maybe not that detailed because it's only 5 minutes, but still decently detailed.
So if I run a Ethernet cable from my router to my room and connect it to a switch will I be able to use my pc and my Xbox at the same time
Of course you can....
You wouldn't even need the switch. You would just need to connect the Ethernet cable directly from the router to the Xbox. All a switch does is expand the number of wired devices on the network. Say you run a big business and need 20 access points, a firewall, and a couple servers, you could get a 48 port switch and run Ethernet cables from those devices to the switch and then the switch to the router and they would all run at much higher speeds since they're on your LAN (think wired network) rather than your WAN (think wifi). When you run an Ethernet cable to your router, what you're actually doing is running an Ethernet cable to an onboard switch that communicates with your router, so it's effectively the same thing.
1:37 Aurinkolahti beach in Helsinki TORILLA TAVATAAN SUOMI SUOMI SUOMI
Tori on tori
Thank you for making this video
great way to explain the difference between the hubs and the switches
Regarding networking brand equipment choices, Cisco is very likely the best business company for Routers, Switches and Acess Points distribution, with excellent costumer servicing and ample infrastructure support ^^. Huawei is the 2nd more favorable alternative in terms of networking equipment, especially for access points. For home environments, TP-Link is certainly a solid choice for home users in all categories.
i'll stick with Ubiquiti, thank you very much :^)
***** Just pointing out where some users should start with. Ive worked with Ubiquiti APs in the past in classes and they are pretty simple looking and theyr software is attractive :p.
Diogo João gotta love that ios
DutchCrusader Cisco ios xD. People will think its Apple x.X
Won't touch Huawei with a 10 foot pole. Using a MikroTiK Routerboard as a combination Gigabit switch / wireless access point. My D-Link ADSL router takes care of the rest, and it's been going strong for 9 years now (except for a vented capacitor, but I replaced that).
please do a video on pfsense for home users
LMG already did. If you search their videos for DYI pfsense rack mounted router build log part 1 - 3.
TechPorkChop I'll do that, thanks :D
They really didn't cover how to install it though, so you'll have to reference the Tek Syndicate (Now Crit) video. Or the Level1Techs video.
You guys rock thank you for the videos!
waiting for this for so long
zip drives for life yo
How to reduce "LATENCY" ? please help
BitupaN DoweraH Your latency is usually down to your distance from the exchange unfortunately :(
simple, just make everything wired. wired is the fastest way to go, even if you have gigabit speeds. alot of that will degrade due to the nature of wireless signals and its vulnerabilities to interference and range limitations. if you want the fastest speeds possible, just wire all that shit up! i handle this by plugging in switches and running them to each room of my house. speeds aht are as if i was plugged directly into my router, none of the latency. and for devices like phones that HAVE to be wireless, you also have the option of buying better antennas for your router and even running them with extra long cable to various points in your house.
companyoflosers I don't even have wireless connection I simply using 1.5 down and 1.5 upload broadband connection with wired line. I live in India and there are no servers for games, all servers located in another countries so when I play any of servers it is lag like sh*t -_-
then i advise you... please do NOT play online games. save everyone else your lag. unless you have better internet, you are a bigger inconvenience on the people you are playing with and ruin their experience. find people to play on lan with or find something that doesnt require fast internet like turn based stuff. sucks to be limited because of where you live, and from my understanding the internet there is slow due solely to the low number of people who want high speed internet enough to justify the expense for companies to install cabling for better internet. you particular problem is your country's internet speed. no amount of upgrading your routers or any equipment will change that until your country's isp's see it in their interest to upgrade the internet infrastructure. you are just kinda screwed. not your fault at all if it makes you feel any better.
Tell your ISP that you want fiber optics to your home. Replace everything RJ45 to SFP/SFP+. Then you will have the lowest latency in your entire city.
Very excellent video. Your talent for explanation is extraordinary. You're helping to make the world a better place by simplifying the tech world for the person who just wants to get online without studying for a CCNA cert. Keep it up!
Great video! Fast, smart and informative
Wireless Access Point = AP
Why is it not WAP
Or did you just forget the wireless bit , that bit is quite important
because WAP is a protocol and AP is a device
And an AP can be wireless or connected to the modem router by ethernet cable. So, the proper name would then be "wire(less) Access Point" Not to confuse people they just called it wireless, but you will have an ethernet port on the device. Btw Modem means "modelator-demodelator" and WAP would mean "wireless application protocol"
TP-Link Archer is the best.
TP-Link is crap. had very very bad day because of it today.......
A hub is also useful for diagnosing where network traffic saturation is coming from using Wireshark, in the event of a broadcast storm or something similar.
This is so helpful! Thanks!!
Don't forget, Linus, consumer Routers generally ALSO ACT AS DHCP SERVERS
Do you need to cool a modem/router?
Strongly recommended that you put it in someplace with at least OK ventilation, otherwise they tend to live short lives. Take into consideration the ventilation the router has.
Arman Tompong Water cool your wireless access point for improved speeds.
No more than just keeping it in a place where there's OK ventilation and don't forget to dust it off and blow the dust out of it with compressed air. In most cases that's all you need at home.
I added exhaust fans on mine lol
Thanks for the learning
Favorite channel about techs 👏😎
what's the best wah-fah router under $290
+Baby Cakes why the hell would you even consider paying $290 for a router?
buy an edgerouter and a unifi ap ac or 2
best and wifi don't mix
That amount of cash, simply build a pfsense box.
Sometimes it's better to have a router with a strong processor, signal and throughput if you have several devices using it all at once.
Why the hell would you consider paying >$1000 for a nice gaming PC and cheap out on the most important thing for delivering a good gaming experience?
I was confused when i came to the USA from the UK, how comes in UK i just need a router but in USA i need a modem then router?
Lost Evesy There is a good chance that your modem when you were in the UK had a router built in whereas the one you have in the US is only a modem and needs a separate router.
Bryce Swain
In the UK they're just called routers, no modem needed, just buy any off the shelf router and plug your phone line into it. I guess it may have something to do with getting internet from cable .. as our routers don't have any cable attachment, not sure.
Lost Evesy If you are plugging a phone line into it, it has a modem built in.
Yeah, if there's either a RJ11 (telephone) or Coaxial connector, it's a modem. And if yours also had several Ethernet ports on the back and Wi-Fi, that means it sucks at doing all of those things, specially Wi-Fi.
Lost Evesy The real reason is how modems are distributed in the US. Currently, US ISPs provide the modem (often charging a fee for it) and in some cases, a router is built in. While I am not sure about the exact situation, my guess would be that in the UK, since you purchase your own modem, they likely often come with an additional router built in. It's kind of similar in the US, since most "routers" you find for consumers are actually a combined router, access point, and network switch. TLDR; my guess is that modems in the UK bundle a modem router, wireless access point, and network switch all into one package.
Thanks this was very helpful
I work at said stores mentioned earlier in the video, I’m trying to learn more about items in the store so I can help people more… didn’t expect to catch a stray like that 😭
You should NEVER connect directly to a modem and dismiss the router even if you got just 1 wired device. Reason? Security. Besides, you can always turn your SOHO router (ISP) into bridge mode and use other router if you want a better performance one.
Juan Chemell consumer routers have almost no security features other than NAT, but they usually come with upnp enabled which let applications forward their own ports. If one of those applications has security issues the entire lan can be compromised pretty quickly. A hardware firewall/UTM/security gateway with proper firewall rules and intrusion detection is what you need.
Could you translate into Linus-consumer level language? I understand what you are referring to as a mid-level techie and CCNA student, but the shift in language could be confusing for the lay user who just wants their equipment to work without learning all the "technical."
still dont know the difference between a router and an access point
a router’s only purpose is to tell data where to go. an access point is a vehicle to transmit that data after its destination is decided by the aforementioned router.
@@leeizmemy understanding is that a router can receive and send data where intended. However, an access point allows that signal to sent wirelessly.
Love, love your videos as they give tonss of great info and really fun to watch and listen to. Great channel and lots of tumbs up from me.
But the way you pronounce router... well lets all sing along...
"you get your kicks on route 66"
okay great !
How did you pronounce that one ?? lol
- the same ???
Yes finally Linus makes a video about this!
Notification squad!!!!
first negative comment woouh
Devemx is this a paradox
Thank you Linus!!
Gotta love studying for the A+ and linus coming through clutch.
I have never been on the internet. Now get off my lawn.
Exactly what i needed
Do a tech quickie on BIOS updates please !!
just in time for my computer networking class, thanks!
aerialdarkguy good luck
Thank you for the video. I am in the process of buying a POE switch, 4-5 POE wireless access points, to provide internet for a large concrete house, which now has 3 routers with all different logins/passwords... trying to get them to hand-off with one login/PW.
Finally!!! Thank you!
Loved the intro, so relatable
This is the only channel where I don't mind watching the 'sponsors' segment. For some reason Linus makes it entertaining.
Thank you Linus.
Haha I love his intro on how most Best Buy employees are.
He makes Tech so simple
Your videos are informative!
Great video as allways
Hello Linus, I am really like your videos. Could you do a video for what is the best access point that a big restaurant should use. Thanks
thank you
Great little video, love it
thanks
This took a long time to be out here! One of the more/most informational videos for people who don't understand anything (or little) of networking... => 'my internet broke' or 'the WiFi broke', hopefully gets new meaning for the not so technical people around there :).
Maybe do a short video on the different kinds of screws used in PCs and what not to do? I see a lot of confusion on this topic from newbie builders and veterans alike.
I missed this vid when it came out, but according to the October 2017 issue of Popular Mechanics, this is the best video on the channel. Imagine my surprise to see Linus' face in Popular Mechanics. Marques Brownlee (MKBHD), Casey Neistat, and Devin (Graham) Supertramp all are featured in the issue as well as many others.
Nice Mr. Linus!