Ethernet uses a variety of networking hardware to ensure device connectivity, and Ethernet switches are an important piece of that. However, how many of you have noticed ports on network switches? Ethernet switches may have different port types and can work in different port modes. In this article, a brief introduction to common Ethernet switch port types, including data rates, network architecture, and functionality is provided.
Ethernet switch port type (by data rate)
Data rate is one of the important factors of an Ethernet switch interface. From 1G to 100G or even higher. Here is a list of mainstream interface types for these data rates.
RJ45 Port: RJ 45, Registered Jack 45, is a typical Ethernet data port on switches, network cards, routers, etc. This port on 100/1000BASE switches can be used for LANs, data centers for server switching, and for uplinks to desktop switches for broadband applications. A standard Ethernet cable such as CAT5 or CAT6 is required to connect the two RJ45 ports on the Gigabit switch.
sfp optical module
SFP and SFP+ ports: SFP ports are specially designed for small form factor connectors. It provides high speed and physical compactness. It enables Gigabit switches to allow long-distance copper uplinks by plugging in the corresponding SFP optical modules. On the other hand, SFP+ is to support higher speeds up to 10Gbps. When comparing the compatibility of two ports, SFP+ is usually compatible with SFP at a lower speed of 1Gbps. However, an SFP+ optical module cannot be inserted into an SFP port because it does not support speeds below 1Gbps.
SFP 28 ports: It is an advanced version of SFP+ ports and provides a new way of network upgrade: 10G-25G-100G. It has the same form factor as SFP+ but delivers 25Gbps over a single channel.
QSFP28 port: Designed for 100g applications. It is designed for 100g applications. It provides high-speed differential signaling with data rates from 25Gbps to 100Gbps.
QSFP+ Port: It is an enhanced version of Quad Channel SFP+ or QSFP. It has a quad-lane Gbit/s SFP+ interface that provides transfer rates up to 40Gbps.
Ethernet Switch Port Types by Function
Like data rate, functionality and application are critical to Ethernet switch port types, as the same port can be used for multiple purposes. This helps us gain insight into the Ethernet switch port type configuration.
PoE Ports: Power over Ethernet or PoE switch ports can transmit data and power over a single network cable. It provides power in two standard formats - IEEE 802.af (provides up to 15.4 watts of power on Ethernet switch ports) and IEEE 802.3at (provides up to 30 watts of power on Ethernet switch ports). However, power varies with distance
increase and lose.
Combo Port: This is a composite port that supports dual front ends such as RJ45 and SFP connectors. However, these different ports cannot be used at the same time. This means that an RJ45 port is being used and the corresponding port will be automatically disabled and vice versa. One of the biggest advantages is that it can provide different connectivity without taking up unused switch fabric, allowing users to configure their power and flexibility as needed.
Stacking Port: This is a special function port on the switch. It is used to connect other stackable network switches of the same model to operate as a single stackable switch. It can be an uplink port; however, some network switches may have dedicated ports for stacking. This is an economical solution with great flexibility and is the first choice for long distance connections.
Ethernet switch port types for network architecture
The network architecture basically consists of three layers: core layer, access layer and distribution layer. Fortunately, network switches also have these types.
Access Port: As the name suggests, it is used to connect devices available in the access link, such as laptops, desktops, printers, etc. An access port can only be a member of a specific VLAN, and it sends and receives regular Ethernet frames in untagged form.
Trunk ports: Trunk ports are used between switches and higher-level network devices available in the trunk link. It allows to set up multiple VLANs, so it is possible to carry traffic of multiple VLANs at the same time.
Hybrid port: It can connect users and network devices, so it is called a hybrid port. It supports both tagged VLANs (such as trunk ports) and untagged VLANs (such as access ports), receiving data from one or more VLANs.
