D-Link DES-1008D - Manual (Page 11)

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Ethernet packets at the MAC address level of the Ethernet protocol
transmitting among connected Ethernet or Fast Ethernet LAN
segments.
Switching is a cost-effective way of increasing the total network
capacity available to users on a local area network. A switch increases
capacity and decreases network loading by dividing a local area
network into different segments, which don’t compete with each other
for network transmission capacity.
The DES-1008D acts as a high-speed selective bridge between the
individual segments. The DES-1008D, without interfering with any
other segments, automatically forwards traffic that needs to go from
one segment to another. By doing this the total network capacity is
multiplied, while still maintaining the same network cabling and
adapter cards.
For Fast Ethernet networks, a DES-1008D is an effective way of
eliminating problems of chaining hubs beyond the “two-repeater
limit.” A DES-1008D can be used to split parts of the network into
different collision domains, making it possible to expand your Fast
Ethernet network beyond the 205-meter network diameter limit for
100BASE-TX networks. DES-1008Ds supporting both traditional
10Mbps Ethernet and 100Mbps Fast Ethernet are also ideal for
bridging between the existing 10Mbps networks and the new
100Mbps networks.
Switching LAN technology is a marked improvement over the
previous generation of network bridges, which were characterized by
higher latencies. Routers have also been used to segment local area
networks, but the cost of a router, the setup and maintenance required
make routers relatively impractical. Today switches are an ideal
solution to most kinds of local area network congestion problems.