About this interactive
The lesson's two kinds of switch:
- **Managed:** you can sign in to it, manage it and configure it remotely. That is what gives you features such as VLANs and spanning tree protocol (and, on a Layer 3 switch, routing).
- **Unmanaged:** a home or small-office switch you plug in and use. It forwards frames by itself, and there is nothing to configure.
Power over Ethernet, the number of ports and the port speed do not decide it: unmanaged switches come with all of those. Ask whether anyone needs to configure or check the switch.
What you'll learn
- Decide whether a job needs a managed switch, one you can sign in to and configure remotely, with features such as VLANs and spanning tree, or whether an unmanaged switch you plug in and use will do
Aligned to
CompTIA Network+
1.2
Compare and contrast networking appliances, applications, and functions.
CompTIA A+ Core 1
2.2
Compare and contrast common networking hardware.
Key terms
- Managed Switch
- A network switch that can be configured and monitored remotely, supporting advanced features such as VLANs, spanning tree, and routing.
- Switch
- A network device that connects devices within a LAN and forwards traffic based on MAC addresses.
- Virtual LAN
VLAN
- A logical grouping of network devices that behave as if they are on the same network regardless of physical location.
- Spanning Tree Protocol
STP
- A network protocol that prevents loops in Ethernet networks by creating a loop-free logical topology.
Topics
Managed Switch
Unmanaged Switch
Switch
Interactive
Streak Sort
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