What is a switch

A switch is the box of ports in the technical room. Each network cable goes to a desk, a camera, a Fanvil phone or an access point. The switch links those devices to each other on the premises. It does not decide the path to the internet on its own: that is the router.

Palo Security supplies switches in the Cisco, Juniper Networks, Ruijie, Ubiquiti, MikroTik, TP-Link, Linkbasic, VSOL, Fiberhome, Zyxel and ZTE lines. The number of ports and the line are set in the quote. Many requests are PoE switches: the same cable carries data and power.

What it does

It opens ports on the cable. Without a switch, each device would have to reach the router on its own — and the router does not have dozens of ports for the premises. With several rooms, there are several switches linked to each other. The NVR sees the IP cameras because they sit on that network, on the switch.

PoE

PoE powers the device through the network cable. It suits cameras, access points and some phones, so each point does not need a wall socket. Without PoE on the switch, those devices need power separately. The number of PoE ports is set in the quote; we do not invent the number in this article.

What it is not

• It is not the router. The router joins the network to the internet.
• It is not the access point. The Wi-Fi on the ceiling links to desks without a cable; the switch sits behind, on the cable to the access point.
• It is not the firewall. The firewall protects the edge of the network.

What to say in the request

1. How many cameras, phones, access points or desks connect on the cable.
2. Whether those devices need PoE, or already have a socket at the point.
3. Whether a switch already exists on site, and whether the request includes a router or access point.

We do not invent the ports. The premises and the devices close the set. Tell us the site and we prepare the quote.