A network switch is very convenient, but chances are you’ll only buy one when your router runs out of Ethernet ports. While that’s the main reason most people buy one, it’s far from the only benefit of keeping a switch in your network.
A basic unmanaged switch is typically plug-and-play, requiring no configuration and simply connecting wired devices on the same local network. That simplicity is exactly why it can solve more than you might expect, as long as you understand its limitations and potential. I’ll go over some of the problems that an unmanaged switch can solve.
Your router is buried under a mess of cables
This is still a real solution.
Adding more Ethernet ports seems like the most basic reason to buy a switch, but it’s more important than you give it credit for.
Instead of running a mess of long cables from your router to every wired device in the house, you can run a cable to a small switch and branch out from there with shorter, cleaner cables. As someone who values cable management in all aspects of technology, this is infinitely more aesthetically pleasing and simply easier to manage.
While cleaning up your cable routing won’t magically increase your Internet speeds, it makes your wired setup infinitely easier to manage, troubleshoot, and expand. It also makes it easier get rid of Wi-Fi on some crucial devices.
Your entertainment center is fighting Wi-Fi
It’s time to go wired
I was sick and tired of my TV constantly getting stuck in buffering, so it was time to move it from Wi-Fi to a stable Ethernet connection. However, if you have to connect an entire entertainment center, a single cable from your router won’t be enough.
A TV stand can quickly become one of the busiest parts of a home network, especially if you have a TV, consoles, a streaming box or device, an AV receiver, and maybe even a media server nearby. A small unmanaged switch lets you connect all of those devices over a single Ethernet connection instead of forcing them to compete over Wi-Fi or relying on a single router port across the room. This is especially useful for consoles and streaming devices, where stability often matters more than chasing the highest possible speed.
Your desktop setup has become a small data center
PC, dock, NAS, printer, all in one place
A work desk can fill up with networked hardware faster than expected. Mine has a desktop, laptop dock, printer, smart hub, and my spare test bench, for example. Yours might also have a NAS, a printer, and just about anything else. Most, if not all, of those things benefit from Ethernet.
One switch gives that entire group a properly wired home without having to drag extra wires around the room. Just remember that an unmanaged switch keeps everything on the same basic network, so it’s not the answer if you need VLANs, traffic rules, or actual information. network segmentation.
Your router’s ports are in the wrong room
One long cable beats five pesky ones
Routers are usually placed where the ISP line enters the house, which is almost never the same place where your wired devices actually are.
A switch allows you to leave the router where it works best and move the useful Ethernet ports to another location, such as an office, TV area, or gaming nook. Run a longer cable from the router to the switch, and then use short cables from the switch to nearby devices.
Your local file transfers keep getting in everyone’s way
Keep the heavy talk close
If your PC and NAS are constantly moving large files, putting them on the same switch can make the layout seem more sensible. The switch can forward local traffic directly between wired devices in that group instead of making everything dependent on Wi-Fi, which is exactly what you want for frequent, high-volume transfers.
This doesn’t create magical isolation and the uplink to the router can still be important, but it gives your heavy local traffic a cleaner wired path.
Your network is still dependent on an overworked box
Let your router catch its breath
Most routers already do several jobs at once: routing, firewall tasks, DHCP, Wi-Fi, and often a bit of switching via the built-in Ethernet ports.
Adding a separate switch doesn’t replace the router, but it allows the router to stop acting as the physical hub for every wired connection in the house. For a busy home network, that little delegation can make the entire setup cleaner, more stable, and easier to expand.
A cheap box that really earns its place.
A basic unmanaged switch won’t fix every network problem you may encounter, but it’s an easy and inexpensive way to organize your hardware and relieve unnecessary strain on your Wi-Fi. It makes your network design make a lot more sense, and for the price of a small accessory, it’s a lot to accomplish.
