If five devices are connected to the same switch and the network is operating at 1 Gbps, what is the maximum bandwidth for a single device?
200 Mbps
5 Gbps
50 Gbps
1 Gbps
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is 1 Gbps.
When five devices are connected to the same switch and the network is operating at 1 Gbps, the maximum bandwidth for each individual device will depend on the nature of the switch and how data is transmitted. In a switched network, each device has a dedicated link to the switch. The total bandwidth of the network (1 Gbps in this case) is typically shared between all devices, but this does not mean each device gets less bandwidth automatically.
Here’s how it works:
- Full-Duplex Operation: Modern switches often operate in full-duplex mode, meaning each device connected to the switch can send and receive data simultaneously. Therefore, each device can achieve the full 1 Gbps bandwidth for both transmitting and receiving data, assuming no other limiting factors like network congestion.
- Dedicated Bandwidth: In a switched network, unlike in a hub-based network, each device’s connection is isolated from others. This means each device can communicate with the switch at full 1 Gbps speed, even if other devices are also using the network at the same time.
- No Shared Bandwidth: The network speed of 1 Gbps is the capacity for the entire switch, not the shared bandwidth among the devices. This means the network can handle multiple devices at once, but it doesn’t necessarily reduce the speed per device. Each device could theoretically transmit and receive up to 1 Gbps of data at the same time without interfering with other devices, as long as the network infrastructure supports it.
- Limitations: If there is excessive network congestion or if multiple devices are heavily transmitting at the same time, it could reduce the available bandwidth for each device due to competing traffic. However, under ideal conditions, each device has access to the full 1 Gbps bandwidth.
In summary, since each device is connected to the switch independently, the maximum bandwidth for a single device remains 1 Gbps, assuming the network operates at its full capacity.