Switches switch, routers route. More seriously, a switch connects multiple endpoints to form a network, while a router connects switches to create a network of

Switches switch, routers route. More seriously, a switch connects multiple endpoints to form a network, while a router connects switches to create a network of networks, and it routes packets between nodes in the most efficient way so one side of a network can communicate with the other side of another network. At home, some use additional switches to get more ethernet ports.