Networking

Modern enterprise networks rely on high-performance switches to keep data moving quickly and securely. Two of the most important elements in these switches are SFP (Small Form-factor Pluggable) and QSFP (Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable) ports. While they may look similar at first glance, these ports are designed fo...

1G SFPs aren’t “all the same.” Media (fiber vs copper), wavelength, reach, connector, temperature grade, and even application domain (Ethernet, SONET/SDH, PON, Fibre Channel) all matter. Use the tables below to pick the exact 1G SFP you need—then sanity-check with the ordering checklist at the end.How to Classify th...

QSFP+ (Quad Small Form-Factor Pluggable Plus) is the workhorse optical form factor for 40 GbE compact, hot-pluggable, and built around 4×10 Gb/s electrical lanes per direction. In data centers, it enables short-reach MMF fabrics, long-reach SMF leaf–spine, and simple 4×10G breakouts. This guide demystifies QSFP+ typ...

IPv4 and IPv6 are versions of the Internet Protocol, the addressing and routing layer that moves packets from A to B. IPv4 uses 32-bit addresses (about 4.3B total), while IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses (effectively inexhaustible for practical purposes) and a streamlined header plus extension headers for options.Short a...

Every device on your network needs an IP address. You can either assign it manually (Static IP) or let the network hand it out automatically (DHCP). The right choice affects deployment speed, troubleshooting, security, remote access, and long-term scale. This guide gives you a clean, table-driven comparison, practic...

Patch cables and crossover cables are both twisted-pair Ethernet leads with RJ-45 (8P8C) connectors—but they’re wired differently and therefore used in different situations. This guide gives you clean wiring tables, quick “when to use” rules, modern notes on Auto-MDI/MDI-X, and deployment checklists so you can stop ...

Choosing between single-mode (SMF/OS2) and multimode (MMF/OM3–OM5) fiber is more than a cabling preference, it determines your reachable distance, optics cost, upgrade path, and even day-to-day operability (polarity, cleaning, testing). The differences are well known in theory, but real-world projects still stumble ...

In 2025, fiber optic networks are advancing at unprecedented speed. Here's what’s driving connector demand: Cloud & Hyperscale Data Centers: With rapid rollouts of AI compute infrastructure, 400G–800G parallel optics dominate, driving high-density MTP/MPO deployments. 5G & FTTA (Fiber-to-th...

As gigabit networks become the standard and 10-gigabit speeds enter the mainstream, selecting the right Ethernet cable has never been more important. Cat6 cables remain a popular choice for both home and business networks due to their ability to deliver high-speed, reliable connections. Among them, two types dominat...

In AI/ML clusters and modern cloud backbones, the Optical Transceiver Module is where raw throughput, thermal design, and interoperability all collide. This deep-dive introduces the NS brand (owned by Network-Switch.com) 800 Gbps Module lineup, OSFP-800G-SR8-FNT, OSFP-800G-DR8-FNT, and OSFP-800G-2FR4-FNT, three OSFP...