What is an Ethernet Splitter and Why is it Better to Buy a Switch

We usually connect to our router via ethernet cable or Wi-Fi. The problem is that routers have limited Ethernet ports, usually four. Between PCs, laptops and PLCs we can easily use all those ports. And what can we do to fix it? In this case, we can use an Ethernet Splitter, a switch or a hub. Today in this article we are going to explain the differences so that you can choose which one suits you best in each case.

What is an Ethernet Splitter

The problem usually starts when we have all the Ethernet ports busy and we need to connect a new computer by network cable. The first solution you would think of would be to buy something that would allow us to have more Ethernet ports in some way. In this sense, if we decide to have more Ethernet ports available, we would have the following options available:

  • Ethernet Splitter.
  • Switch.
  • Hub.

Each of these three solutions has something different to contribute. Therefore, before buying any of these devices, it is important to identify which of them suits us best based on our needs. Thus, knowing its advantages and disadvantages, we can choose the option that best suits our needs. Now we are going to explain the different devices that we can use so that we can add more Ethernet network ports to our home or small office network.

Ethernet Splitter the most basic and cheapest option

Without a doubt, being the cheapest option, it is the most tempting, but also the one that offers the fewest options. An Ethernet Splitter is a small device with three Ethernet ports, two on one side and one on the other. In the case of having an excess of short Ethernet cables, but only one or two long cables, then we can get the most out of it.

An important fact to keep in mind is that an Ethernet Splitter reduces the number of cables used in a Cat 5e Ethernet cable, but reduces the data throughput from 1000 Mbps to 100 Mbps. The advantage it has is that it allows you to use a network cable for two Ethernet connections and they are cheap. However, the downside to these Ethernet Splitters is that they slow down network traffic. Therefore, depending on whether these computers require more or less bandwidth, they may not be taking advantage of all the speed offered by the internet connection or that local network.

Also another thing to note, is that an Ethernet Splitter is also limited to a maximum of two devices per cable. In some specific situations they can be fine. However, taking into account that we can buy a Switch from € 15 with many more possibilities, it means that in most cases it is not worth buying an Ethernet Splitter.

Ethernet switch: the ideal choice in most cases

If we want to transform our network cable into two or more, without a doubt the Switch is the best option to buy in most situations. Its way of working is very simple. What we have to do is connect by Ethernet network cable from the router to the Switch. Then we can use the rest of the available Ethernet ports to connect the new devices that we could not use before. Simply explained, one Ethernet port becomes multiple Ethernet ports, switches give incoming data from your network devices their own paths, whereby data between devices does not interfere with each other.

The switch also supports Full-Duplex communication . This means that devices connected to it can send and receive data at the same time and it translates into a faster network, of course, we will continue to have the best possible network speed, usually Gigabit Ethernet, although the first ones are already beginning to appear. Multigigabit switches with 2.5G and 5G speeds.

On the other hand, if we compare them with an Ethernet Splitter that had two devices as a limit, with the most basic Switch we could connect up to five. As we mentioned before, because they are also very cheap and offer more performance, they make switches the most recommended option.

The Ethernet Hub: A Vanishing Solution

The Ethernet Hub is probably the least interesting option, since it has been replaced by the Switch. A hub could be defined as a large chamber full of network traffic, where packets enter and leave to find the computers they are trying to connect to. In technical terms, a hub uses what is called half duplex communication. As a consequence of this way of working, it generates data retentions and collisions, monopolizing valuable bandwidth and causing a slowdown in the network. The situation is complicated when several teams are used at the same time.

One thing to keep in mind is that Ethernet Hubs physically look a lot like switches. So, when buying them, you have to be very careful not to make mistakes between the two, although the hubs are no longer seen so much for sale.

Finally, remember that we have Switches that include all the functionalities, a high speed and the possibility of segmenting the network if we buy manageable switches that are somewhat more expensive. The hub would be an intermediate solution that, by price, does not compensate, and finally, we would have the Ethernet Splitter that in some situations can be interesting.