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Differences between Router and Switch (Cisco devices)
Differences between Router and Switch (Cisco devices)
Learn, share, and discuss it
Learn, share, and discuss it
It may be difficult for someone who is new to networking to understand the differences between routers and switches. For more advanced users, it is natural and fundamental, but for beginners, it is not as simple.
When a new user transitions between the router and switch on the CLI command lab in the lab, he or she must learn about both simultaneously. It can be tough to understand how CLI commands operate, and it is much more puzzling when some router commands do not work on the switch and vice versa. Yes, the OSI model is critical to comprehending the distinctions between layers 2 and 3. However, the more confused the newcomer becomes when they realise that a multilayer switch can operate on layer 3.
I have included a table below that shows some variances. I learned it from Wendell Odell's books. I was rehearsing these commands so that I could memorise them. Actually, I always check to see if the information provided is correct and if I can break the rules. So, maybe it is in my nature to double-check, even when I strongly believe the source, and admire the author’s knowledge. Nevertheless, Wendell is the best teacher I have learned from, and I think he is the best in the field of CCNA studying subjects.
Table 1 - Differences between switches and routers on Cisco devices.
Picture 1 - Router and Switch
Routers vs Switches
Routers vs Switches
Let us discuss what you observe in the table. Returning to the differences between routers and switches, routers require IP addresses on active interfaces. To enable packet forwarding, each active interface must be assigned an IP address. An IP address is only required for administrative purposes when using a layer 2 switch. As a result, in layer 2, we assign an IP address to its virtual interface in preparation for future remote connections.
As I noted before, there is an exception when a switch operates at layer 3 (called a multiswitch), but I'll talk about that in another article.
Once more, the management port on Cisco switches is denoted by the auxiliary port. It is usually used to connect the modem via phone line and gives engineers remote access to the switch. In the event that the primary network connection is down, it can still be utilised. We must configure line vty 0 in order to access the auxiliary port that is set up for the modem.
Auxiliary ports are absent from routers.
The next important dissimilarity we can note is with the Telnet and SSH protocols. For routers, these protocols are disabled by default. However, switches have both been enabled by default. It means that to block the telenet, SSH, or both on the switch, you need to set the configuration to transport input none in the command line.
The protocols for SSH and Telnet are where we can observe the next significant difference. These protocols are by default deactivated on routers. On the other hand, switches are both on by default. This means that you must set the settings to transport input none in the command line in order to disable the switch's telenet, SSH, or both.
The MAC address table is a further step in our examination of how routers and switches differ from one another. Since the routers maintain the ARP tables to map IP addresses to physical addresses, the MAC address table is not present on them. On the switch, there is a distinction because every neighbor's MAC address is mapped and noted in the MAC table. The router should display an empty screen when you type the command show mac address-table. Since the Packet programme functions as a simulator rather than an emulation, the Packet tracer displays an incorrect command. On the Cisco community blog, Peter Paluch provided an excellent response. For more information and to read it if you're interested, click the link
The last thing that I would like to mention is the routing command, which is not available on switch layer 2. Though the layer 3 switch (multiswitch) has the option of routing and initiating the show IP route command, for the layer 3 switch, when we type the IP route command from the configuration mode, we initiate the routing, and from that point, we can start forward frames between subnet VLANs.
Routers have the inherited feature of forwarding packets between networks, or subnetworks. The show IP route command displays the routing table.
In conclusion, the switches and routers differ greatly from one another. By using the role-forwarding frame to the neighbours, we are aware that the switch operates on layer 2. When forwarding packets between networks or subnetworks, routers play several roles. This indicates that in order to read information, they not only receive frames but also de-encapsulate them. Routers then move packets to the following node by encapsulating them in new frames.
Because of this, their tasks and responsibilities are completely different, but a beginner networker may get easily confused when they play on the simulator in the virtual lab for the first time.
In this brief piece, I aim to clarify some fundamental differences between switches and routers.
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