Iron-Tree offers business class routing and switching products like the Cisco Catalyst line. Our Cisco Premier status allows us to price competitively, and our in-house expertise ensures that your business receives highly skilled implementation and support services. Whether you are located in Scranton PA or elsewhere, contact us for a quote.
Routing 101
A router connects different networks together and helps direct data between them, for example connecting your office network to the internet. The router decides the best path for data to travel, similar to how a GPS guides you to your destination. Routers also help protect your network by acting as a barrier between your internal network and external connections, making sure only authorized data gets in and out.
Switching 101
A switch is like a traffic controller within a single network. It connects the devices in your office (like computers, printers, etc.) and makes sure data flows to the right device. For example, if a computer wants to send a file to a printer, the switch ensures that the file reaches the printer, not another device on the network.
Routers and switches play a role in how we connect and share information.
Efficient Communication
One device ensures that your internal network can connect to the broader world. The other makes sure that all the devices inside your network can talk to each other, directing data where it needs to go.
Smooth Operations
Routers ensure that external data, like information from the internet, can get to your network in a way that is fast and reliable. Switching helps manage the flow of information between your devices inside the network, ensuring that they don’t collide or slow down when sharing resources. This keeps everything running at top speed.
Security
Routers can act like a barrier, keeping out harmful or unauthorized data trying to access your network from the outside. Switches ensure that only authorized devices inside your network can communicate with each other, helping prevent unwanted access to important resources.
Scalability
As your business grows, routers help ensure new outside connections are made easily, while switches handle the increased number of devices inside your network, ensuring that as you add more people or devices, everything continues to work seamlessly.
