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Packet-switched networks move data in separate, small data blocks, or packets as they are more commonly known, based on the destination address in each packet. When received, the packets are reassembled in the proper sequence to make up the message. The packets are not dependent on any one path or connection, and can take as many paths as necessary to maintain data integrity depending on traffic load of a shared network. Packet-switched networks are mainly used in standard LAN networks.

Circuit-switched networks require dedicated point-to-point connections during calls.

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10y ago

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Circuit switching establishes fixed bandwidth circuits/channels between nodes and terminals before the users may communicate.

Packet switching is a communication method in which packets are routed between nodes over data links shared with other traffic. In each network node, packets are buffered (aka "queued in"), resulting in variable delays.

Circuit switching or "connection-oriented data transmission":

  • path must be decided before data transmission starts;
  • completion of transmission can be faster because less

    overhead is used for routing data units;

  • if the connection breaks so does transmission of data.

Packet switching or "connectionless data transmission":

  • at start of transmission no need to worry about establishing a route;
  • ability to send data packets over any route means transmission

    can be more reliable;

  • completion of transmission can sometimes be subject to delays

    because packets may have to be received over different routes

    and must always be re-assembled into correct sequence.

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10y ago
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Circuit switching uses a dedicated path in a connection between two endpoints. No other signal may use that path when the conversation is taking place.

Packet switching allows several conversations to be placed on the wire at approximately the same time, utilizing the path to a greater extent. Packets will "share" the resource, whereas a circuit does not share with other transmissions.

More details about the differences

In circuit switching or "connection-oriented data transmission":

  • path must be decided before data transmission starts;
  • completion of transmission can be faster because less

    overhead is used for routing data units;

  • if the connection breaks so does transmission of data.

In packet switching or "connectionless data transmission":

  • at start of transmission no need to worry about establishing a route;
  • ability to send data packets over any route means transmission

    can be more reliable;

  • completion of transmission can sometimes be subject to delays

    because packets may have to be received over different routes

    and must always be re-assembled into correct sequence.

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13y ago
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Circuit switching uses permanent connections end to end when a conversation is active. A circuit is taken up by both ends of the conversation and exists until one end breaks the connection.

This will be true regardless of whether or not the circuit is used for just switching or when sending packets through the dedicated circuit. So, the difference is based on whether the circuit is being used for packet transmission or is using some other way to transmit data (for example, when using voice transmission rather than data packets).

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15y ago
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A Circuit-Switched network is connection oriented, vs a Packet-Switched network which is connectionless. In a C-S network, there must be a physical connection between the two hosts to communicate vs the P-S network which encodes the IP address at Layer3 of the OSI model (for TCP/IP) and the MAC address at Layer2 when the packet is encapsulated.

The physical devices (network interface card, router, switch, hub, etc.) use the MAC address to move the encapsulated packet from node to node until it finally reaches the node with the IP address that it was destined for or until the TTL (time to live) reaches zero in which case the packet is dropped.

An example of a connection oriented network might be a telephone system; you dial a number, the called number rings, if the phone is answered, the connection is set up and dialog takes place. Once the party(ies) hang up the connection is destroyed.

In a LAN, the computers are physically wired together (or can use wireless networking) but the computer can carry on multiple "conversations" at one time, streaming a video from one server while downloading a file from another server, etc. This is possible because the computer can and does interleave the packets over it's one and only LAN cable or wireless connection. This is in contrast to the telephone conversation in which the vast majority of the time there are only two parties on the line, the caller and called.

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13y ago
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Q: Define circuit switching and packet switching what are the difference of them?
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