Other important advantages to switches include the "plug and play" element

Other important advantages to switches include the "plug and play" element. Switches can determine ethernet addresses in use on each segment and create a table as signal packets are passed through the switch. Furthermore, they are versatile enough to connect different network types together as with ethernet and fast ethernet as well as networks of the same type.

In fact, there are also no protocol issues with switches since they occupy the same hardware layer as a hub.

So, if a regular copper switch can do all of this, why choose a fiber optic switch? Simply put, there are several more advantages that a fiber optic switch can offer that a copper one cannot. First and foremost, a fiber switch will allow you to harness ALL available bandwidth. Fiber, by definition, increases the bandwidth available for consumption and switches over fiber are no different. Distances are also increased with the use of fiber, so you will be able to send more information farther with the use of an optical switch. Immunity to EMI/RFI disturbance as well as lightning strikes becomes a huge advantage in mission critical applications. In a word, network applications linked with fiber are simply more "secure" than their copper counterparts.

Exactly what kinds of fiber switches are available, and what specifically can they do? There is a fiber optic modular switch available that is amazing in its versatility. In fact, you can have the option of fiber to fiber connectivity, copper to fiber connectivity, or copper to copper connectivity with the option of swapping modules out later as your network changes or grows. Gigabit speeds are also possible with this optical switch. Never have there been more network options available in one package!

What are the specifics? The modular switch is out-fitted with 3 slots in the front where your choice of module slides in. There are two rear slots which provide a place for gigabit modules in copper or fiber.

One front slot module choice consists of 8 ports of 10/100 unshielded twisted pair copper (UTP) with RJ45 connectors. Another module consists of 8 port 100Base Fiber FX in ST and SC connectors with a further choice of multimode or singlemode fiber. It doesn't matter which kind of fiber is installed, this switch will accommodate it!

The back slots may house gigabit copper, gigabit multimode fiber, gigabit singlemode fiber. You can even fully load the switch with all fiber modules to create an all fiber switch. Think of the wealth of permutations this one switch can offer you. Here are a few:
24 ports TX + 2 Gigabit
16 ports TX + 8 FX + 2 Gigabit
8 ports TX + 16 ports FX + 2 Gigabit
24 ports FX + 2 Gigabit