How are they able to support thousands of users at one time? I do a speed test and they aren’t like fiber optics level of speeds so how can they have so many users at one time? Is it because there are so many routers placed around the area? But even when I’m on campus I don’t see any wireless routers outside.
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So, the backbone of a large network like that is usually a *switch*, not a router. The main difference is that a switch functions more like a straight up splitter, kinda like those headphone splitters you can use to share with someone else, but a bit more complicated. A router actually creates an isolated network between a set of devices, and provides a gateway for all of them to access the internet, or a larger network, switches just propagate the existing network. Also, switches usually aren’t wireless.
Another key difference between a switch and a router is that switches are usually much bigger and can handle a lot more traffic passing through them. Typically, a switch will have between 24 and 48 ethernet ports, and usually 2-4 uplink ports that could be either ethernet or fiber, usually fiber. Those uplink ports are typically a lot faster, can handle more bandwidth, and they’re used to connect to other switches or to whatever the gateway device may be. Usually the gateway device is a firewall that sits between the campus’s internal network and the internet, and allows the campus networking department to monitor & control the flow of data in and out of the network.
Switches are fairly large devices, and are quite expensive, so it is very common for them to be mounted in locations that are secure and out of sight. They can be put above drop ceilings, in maintenance closets, or in boxes mounted close to the ceiling. If you see a black box close to the ceiling with a bundle of about 30-50 blue cables going up into the ceiling, that’s most likely a switch.
Many campuses also connect wifi access points to the switches, in order to provide wireless access to the network for laptops, tablets, and mobile devices. Most buildings will have at least one switch to serve as the hub for the whole building, and will connect others to it as needed. You might have one per floor for classrooms, or one per room for offices & computer labs. Another thing that’s common in campus buildings is to run ethernet through the walls just like the electricity, and those connections all go back to a switch somewhere.
You also probably won’t see switches outside, fiber links can run for several miles. It’s pretty common to connect the switches in the building to a switch that’s usually in the campus’s main server room. Those lines are usually either run underground, or along telephone poles.
The main uplink for the whole campus is most likely going to be an extreemly high speed, high bandwidth fiber link that goes out to the internet, and they pay a pretty high premium for that kind of connection.
Now, the reason why your speed test isn’t getting “fiber speeds” is because your bandwidth is probably being throttled by the switch. Most modern switches are “managed” which means they can be remotely accessed. You can canfigure them to only allow specific devices to connect, limit how much bandwidth each port can use, see what devices are connected, and you can even disable ports.
If you want a good idea of what all this looks like in practice, i suggest having a look at r/cableporn. Pics of switch racks and large cable runs get posted there pretty regularly.
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