Networking Fundamentals

Ports

Once you have decided on whether you want a managed or unmanaged switch, you will likely focus on the number of interfaces or ports the switch can support and the type of port they are. Usually, the options will be 12, 24, or 48 ports. The switch we saw in Figure 6.8 shows a 48-port switch, where the uplink ports are the four ports to the left of the main interfaces.

In Chapter 8, Media Types – Connecting Everything Together, we will discuss the various types of cable in detail. For now, though, your port choice will most likely be down to whether you want the switch to support twisted pair cables, fiber optic cables, or both.

Besides the port type, you will also need to focus on the speeds the interfaces can support. Switches can ...