Is there any purpose of having both a switch and a router together on a network?

There could be a couple. If your router is only 100 mbit and you want 1000 mbit lan a switch plugged into the router then all computers hooked into the switch would give you 1000 mbit lan and internet. That would be one example I believe you could also use a switch to get more computers hooked to one router. Just hook the switch to the router and computers in the switch, basically the same as the last example except you could still hook more computers to the router. If I'm wrong on this please correct me.

>> Is there any purpose of having both a switch and a router together on a network? << Yes there is because a router and a switch do two completely different jobs although there is some overlap. Most SOHO routers are really switches with some router functions built in. If there are four LAN ports then you have a switch built in. If you want more than one computer connected to the Internet you need a switch. You cannot connect more than one computer to the Internet without a router - unless you revert to software solutions. Basically a router connects networks. A switch connects computers within a network. Stuart

How would a wireless router fit into this. How would you go about setting this up known that i would need the port forwarding function, do switches have this option? Would this work: isp router/modem > connected to switch > connected to wireless router How would port forwarding work in this situation? Is there a better setup? Thank you for your replies guys!

Te setup should be modem > wireless router > switch. You only ever need one router. You can connect two routers but it is an uneccesaryy complication. If you want to expand the LAN you use a switch. Port forwarding is done within the router. Switches do not do port forwarding as they have no need to. A wirless router is just a router with a Wirelss Access Point built in. Stuart

understand you port forward to a particular ip address in the router. A switch just passes the traffic thru to that ip address. Might want to google define: router and define: network switch so you have an understanding of the difference between the two. Example of Oxymoron: Person who is pro life and anti sex education. Education is key to prevention. Prevent conception you prevent abortion. Abstinence training clearly isn't working.

Your posts have been most helful! Thank you guys!