What Is Edge Switch?

An edge switch is like the secret handshake of networking. It's the point where your LAN meets the Internet, and it's where all your traffic passes through. You might think of an edge switch as a gateway between two networks. A router or firewall handles all network traffic on one side of your network and sends it to the other. If you're using an edge switch, you're probably using it because you have more than one network—like one for work and one for home—and you need a way to connect them without sharing your Wi-Fi password with everyone in your neighborhood. You can also use edge switches to connect multiple computers on your home network but don't want them sharing each other's files or Internet connections. Edge switches are like the mail carriers of your local post office. They bring packages from the outside world into your business and deliver packages from your business to the outside world. They help you track where all your packages are coming from and going. If there's a package that needs to be delivered but no one knows where it is, edge switches will help you find it. Edge switches are closer to client machines than the backbone of the network, so when a destination station is outside attached LANs, edge devices query route servers for address resolution. They also convert LAN frames into asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) cells and vice versa, set up switched virtual circuits in an ATM network, map LAN frames into ATM frames and forward traffic to the ATM backbone. Edge switches are everywhere, they're fast, and they're brilliant. They can take your calls and answer them. They can do your taxes. They know how to use Amazon and can even tell you where the nearest Apple store is! If you want to get in on the edge switch action, there's no better time than now. We have a new line of edge switches to make your life easier. Don't worry about space—they're compatible with all other edge switches, so you can stack them up until they reach the ceiling!