A gigabit switch is a type of network switch, typically Ethernet-based, that allows devices to be connected to a LAN at speeds of 1 Gbps or higher. Gigabit Ethernet replaced Fast Ethernet as the current network standard. It can support desktops, NAS boxes, printers, security cameras, access points, game consoles, smart TVs, VoIP phones, lab servers, and small business workstations. The most popular variant, 1000BASE-T, is defined by the IEEE 802. It came into use in 1999 and has largely replaced Fast Ethernet in wired local networks. Whether you are a small business owner deploying IP surveillance, a creative professional managing a NAS (Network Attached Storage), or an IT manager upgrading an enterprise office, the question of “Which switch speed?” is paramount. Today, we dive deep into the comparison between Gigabit (1G). What is a Network Switch? Network switches are hardware in current-day network architectures, and hence, they are used to create or control traffic in a local area network (LAN) by dividing it into different segments.
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