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Summary
A network switch is a small box that adds extra Ethernet ports to your router. If you want to use several devices over a wired internet connection, or if you plan to install Ethernet ports in the walls of your home, you will need a network switch. Note that expensive “managed” switches, which are intended for business and industrial settings, often contain additional features for web security and network optimization.
When you grow frustrated with Wi-Fi, a wired internet connection is usually your best bet. But you may need more Ethernet ports than your router can offer. That’s where a network switch comes in handy. It’s an extremely simple and affordable device, and it’s one of the best upgrades for a busy home network.
A Network Switch Adds Ethernet Ports to Your Router
The average internet user relies almost entirely on Wi-Fi. All of their devices, including computers and TVs, access the internet wirelessly. And this arrangement is usually just fine. Wireless connectivity is faster and more reliable than ever before.
Here’s the problem; Wi-Fi is still a lot slower than wired internet. And because every new product is “smart,” most people own too many wireless devices—their home Wi-Fi network is congested by dozens of competing signals, which makes the Wi-Fi slower and less reliable.
To get the best possible internet speeds on your computer, game console, NAS, or any other electronic device, you need to use a wired internet connection. In other words, you need to run Ethernet cables from your devices to your router.
In most homes, there are just two or three devices that can truly benefit from a wired internet connection. You probably want a very good connection for your PC and game console, for example, but lightning-fast internet is rarely necessary on a smart TV. Routers typically have three or four Ethernet ports, so your router can almost certainly accommodate this simple setup.
But what if you want more than four Ethernet ports? If that’s the case, you need to use a network switch—a small box that adds Ethernet ports to your router. It’s basically the networking equivalent of a power strip.
Network switches are fairly inexpensive; most5-port network switchesare just $20, while8-port solutionsare about $40. And they’re very easy to set up. Just connect the network switch to your router over an Ethernet cable, then connect all of your devices to the switch.
As a quick tip, I suggest buying a network switch with more ports than you think you’ll need. The cost difference is negligible and it’ll save you the trouble of upgrading down the line.
TP-Link TL-SG105, 5 Port Gigabit Unmanaged Ethernet Switch
The TL-SG105 five-port ethernet switch can be used to expand your home or office wireless network with multiple ports and functions to allow more devices to connect while handling increased network traffic.
When Do You Need a Network Switch?
If you want more Ethernet connections than your router can provide, then you need to buy a network switch. There are several reasons why you may want additional Ethernet ports—maybe you own several devices that will benefit from a wired internet connection, or maybe you want to host an old-fashioned LAN party. In any case, an inexpensive network switch will do the job.
A network switch is also necessary when installing a whole-home wired Ethernet system. Typically, you’ll place the switch in arecessed media enclosureand run Ethernet cables through your walls from there.
Related:When Do You Need to Buy a New Router?
Note that your network switch doesn’t need to be in the same room as your router. If you have a ton of game consoles in your living room, for example, you can run a long Ethernet cable from your router to your network switch (and hide the cablewith a runner). That way, all of the devices connected to your network switch can use shorter (and much cheaper) Ethernet cables.
You can also pair a network switch with a mesh Wi-Fi system. Let’s say that your modem is in the kitchen, but you want a wired internet connection for the computer, printer, NAS device, PlayStation, and smart TV in your office. A mesh Wi-Fi system includes multiple router “nodes” that you can place across your home—toss one of these nodes in the office, connect it to a network switch, and you’ve saved yourself the trouble of running a cable across your home.
TP-Link TL-SG108 | 8 Port Gigabit Unmanaged Ethernet Network Switch
Greatly expand your home network with this 8-port unmanaged network switch. It’s totally plug and play, just connect it to your router.
How Fast Should Your Network Switch Be?
The average home internet speed in the United States is just over 100 Mbps. And, unless you pay for an ultra-expensive fiber internet plan, your speeds are almost certainly 1 Gbps or less. For these two reasons, consumer-grade networking equipment (including network switches) usually support speeds up to a gigabit.
If your internet speeds are “1 Gig” or less, you don’t need to worry about your network switch’s speed. Just buy one from a well-known brand and it’ll work without a hitch.
There are a few exceptions to this rule. Maybe you own a NAS device that supports a 2.5 GbE connection—if your PC also supports these speeds, buying a2.5 Gb network switchmakes sense. It’ll give you the maximum file transfer speed between your PC and NAS device, even if your home internet connection is slower than 2.5 Gbps. (Devices that communicate over your local network aren’t bound by the speed of your internet plan.)
Some people try to prepare for multi-gigabit internet by purchasing a super-fast network switch. This may sound like a clever idea, but it really isn’t. Fiber rollout is slower than molasses, 2.5 Gig internet costs a fortune, and anyway, you probably don’t need internet speeds that are this fast.
TP-Link TL-SG105-M2 | 5 Port Multi-Gigabit Unmanaged Network Switch
If you pay for multi-gig internet, or you own a 2.5 Gbps NAS device, a speedy 2.5 gigabit network switch will help you get the best possible speeds.
“Managed” Network Switches Contain Additional Features
Most network switches are incredibly simple. They manage a few LAN connections and log some MAC addresses. From a user perspective, the average network switch is no more complicated than a power strip.
But you may come across a “managed” network switch. Managed network switches provide a ton of controls for network security or optimization. You may use a managed switch to place a firewall on connected devices, for example. A managed switch also grants you the ability to create VLANs, and a managed switch’simproved QoSis ideal for extremely large local networks.
Related:How to Get the Best Transfer Speeds from Your NAS Device
That said, managed switches are primarily intended for business, industrial, and educational facilities. Most of the controls that you’ll find in a managed network switch are already available from your router. And managed switches cost more than basic network switches.
Also, despite what some people might tell you, a managed network switch is not required forPoE (Power over Ethernet). There are plenty ofunmanaged switches that support PoE.
If this stuff sounds like gibberish to you, then you don’t need a managed network switch. It’s really that simple.
TP-Link 24 Port Gigabit Switch | Easy Smart Managed
For security controls, VLAN support, and improved QoS, you’ll need a managed network switch. Note that a managed switch rarely makes sense outside of an IT setting.
