What is basic difference between a router and a switch?

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Though there are a lot of differences between routers and switches, like their functionality, the number of ports they have, the way they are managed, their place in a network, etc. -- the basic difference is in terms of OSI layer. A switch usually works at Layer 2, whereas a router works at Layer 3 -- though nowadays, both can work at either layer and Layer 4 as well.

Hope this helps.

This was first published in December 2007

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