Are You Baffled Between Choosing A Layer 3 Switch and Router? Let’s Tunnel In!

In this presently technical world, terms like layer 3 switches and routers have become common to human ears. This is generally because, in-network data transmission, both are encountering rapid development. In general, a layer 3 switch merges with hosts to create local area networks (LANs), whereas routers connect various LANs into wide area networks (WANs). 

Individuals like us can get puzzled between layer 3 switch and router, as they have loads of things in common. For example, they both support similar routing protocols, thoroughly examine incoming packets, and come to dynamic routing decisions that are entirely based on the source and destination addresses inside. However, they do have dissimilarities as well. Yeah, you read it correctly. When it comes to performance, flexibility, cost, and plenty of other things, they do have differences. 

In this blog post, we are going to explain them in a crystal clear way to help you make a wise decision. 

Layer 3 Switch: Mix And Match Layer 2/3 Switching:

Generally, via using MAC Addresses, a layer 3 switch forwards traffic (frames) based on layer 3 information. Layer 3 switch works with all switching features, while it also comes with some basic routing functions to route in between the VLANs. Layer 3 switch is considered an innovative technology to boost network routing performance on enormous LANs. Over a layer 3 switch, layer redirecting is done by specialized ASICs that are faster than routers but the drawback is, that they generally lack some of the advanced functionalities that routers provide. Unlike routers, a layer 3 switch barely experiences network latency since packets/frames/traffic do not have to take any additional steps through a router. Having said that, layer 3 switches carry out functions connected with both layer 2 and layer 3, which is why it is also referred to as a “multilayer switch”, and some 10GbE switches and Gigabit PoE switches are of this type.

Router: For Different Networks & Protocols:

It is right to say that a Router is an omnipresent hardware used in home and small business networks. It generally permits communication between devices that are associated with it and the internet. A router is used for forwarding traffic (packets), particularly based on layer 3 details utilizing IP addresses. This enables the network to run across various Protocols. In addition to this, routers are also used as first-line security that shields the network from any kind of attack and intrusion. Working to route the packets to their desired destination, a router examines the layer 3 destination address of each packet and selects the best next stop for it. However, this entire process is time-consuming, and due to this, every packet (forwarding traffic) faces some sort of delay. 

Layer 3 Switch Vs Router: Similarities and Differences

Similarities:

Well, when speaking about a layer 3 switch, it works as both a switch and a router. One can consider it as a router with multiple Ethernet ports and a switching function. Layer 3 allows packet switching by evaluating MAC addresses as well as IP addresses. Thus, layer 3 switches are capable of segregating ports into separate VLANs and routing between them. Alike conventional routers, layer 3 switches can be configured in such a way that they begin supporting routing protocols such as RIP, OSPF, and EIGRP.

Differences:

Hardware– The major difference between a router and a layer 3 switch lies in the hardware. The hardware that lies beneath a layer 3 switch blends that of conventional switches and routers, enhancing the router’s software logic with desegregated circuit hardware to provide improved performance for LANs. In addition to this, typically designed to be used on intranets, a layer 3 switch generally comes with no WAN ports and features, which a conventional router radically gets. This means layer 3 switch is preferred and utilized to support routing between VLANs.

Interfaces– Yet another difference between a Layer 3 switch and a router is- a Layer 3 switch can only offer limited support (usually just Ethernet for RJ45 and single-mode/multimode fiber). But, when it comes to a router, it has various options such as SDH, SONET, E1/T1, and much more. In addition to this, routers were the kind of devices that were used to connect the LAN to the WAN while switches were just LAN devices. 

Working Principle– When it comes to the working principle, layer 3 switches focus on the MAC address and send the frame back only to that recipient. While, a router, rather than its MAC address, refers to the target IP address. In other simple words, it offers more functionality in comparison to mere packet routings, such as IP address assignment (DHCP) and firewall filtering.

So, these were the three major differences between a layer 3 switch and a router that can easily influence your purchase. However, apart from the mentioned ones, many other aspects help distinguish the layer 3 switches from the router. For example- scope, key functionality, edge technologies support, forwarding decision, interface support, port density, etcetera.

The Bottom Line:

When it comes to deciding between a layer 3 switch and a router; all you need to do is- comprehend your organization’s requirements before rushing to any decision. For your better understanding, it is best to bag a router if your device routes for the maximum hours. Whereas, if your firm needs more ports, better network performance as well as VLAN segmentation, in that case, opting for a layer 3 switch would be a wise choice.

Author: TechBlonHub

As a passionate blogger, I'm thrilled to share my expertise, insights, and enthusiasm with you. I believe that technical knowledge should be shared, not hoarded. That's why I take the time to craft detailed, well-researched content that's easy to follow, even for non-tech. I love hearing from you, answering your questions, and learning from your experiences. Your feedback helps me create content that's tailored to your needs and interests