Netgear SW510 Installation Guide - Page 9

Chapter 1 Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of the NETGEAR Model SW510 10-port 10/100 Mbps Ethernet Switch or the NETGEAR Model SW518 18-port 10/100 Mbps Ethernet Switch. These switches are part of the NETGEAR™ 500-series product family. The switches allow simultaneous transmission of multiple packets through an internal high-speed data channel, improving the overall information throughput and productivity of a network environment. Benefits of Using Switching Technology Ethernet switches increase network throughput by segmenting network traffic. Instead of 10 PCs all sharing a single 10 megabit per second (Mbps) network connection with an average of 1 Mbps per PC, a 10-port switch provides the same 10 PCs with 10 Mbps individually. By using the 10-port switch, performance increases up to tenfold and is done with no change in network wiring, adapters, or software. As a result, performance upgrade is obtained very quickly and at a low cost. Overview of the Switches The Model SW510 and Model SW518 switches can be utilized as either segment switches or desktop switches. A segment switch is designed to support an entire workgroup on each port, with each port having significant memory buffering and supporting hundreds of addresses (one or more addresses per PC). A segment switch also provides significant performance benefits over a shared hub. A desktop switch is designed to support one or a few PCs per port. A desktop switch is generally used where individuals within workgroups need 10 Mbps network throughput but also require 100 Mbps access. The design of the Model SW510 and Model SW518 switches enables the use of the devices in the most demanding segment switching applications, yet pricing makes them very affordable for use in desktop applications. Introduction 1-1