A network switch is a device that manages the sharing of multiple computers or networks on the same data connection. Another name for this device is a network bridge, which is a physical device responsible for routing and processing data within the open systems interconnection model. A network switch does not include hubs or repeaters, as these devices do not include any type of logical processors.

A network switch can support 10/100 Mbit/s (Megabits per second) or 10/100/1000 Mbit/s port transfer rates. It is possible to have multiple switches operating at different speeds on the same network. However, this type of setup lends itself to bottlenecks and restricts the possible routes available for the flow of data.