Simple on/off action
Simple on/off action
Hi, I have an Intel J1425 PC with four 2.5Gb ports and want to use it as an unmanaged switch for routing traffic between my device and another machine. Are there any software or firmware options that handle switching without management? Also, do the ports automatically switch behavior on Windows 10 since it’s already installed?
Set up OpenWRT on the device, then adjust the settings to treat it as an unmanaged switch.
You can maintain Windows 10 and simply configure a Bridge, utilizing the 4x2.5Gb ports. This approach mirrors what OpenWRT does. Key point to grasp: a bridge and a switch fulfill identical roles—they route packets according to destination MAC addresses or replicate broadcast traffic across all ports. The distinction lies in a switch having specialized hardware (such as a Switch Chip or ASIC) for this function, whereas a Bridge operates entirely through software, with all data passing via the CPU. A 4-port NIC card lacks switch chip components, meaning only a Bridge setup is viable.
When searching for "set up bridge on Windows 10," you'll find many helpful tutorials. My goal was to share a key point—you can configure a bridge on Windows 10 to achieve your needs—and then explore further details yourself. One useful resource is: https://www.windowscentral.com/how-set-a...windows-10 You should choose the four ports, with instructions indicating you pick two at a time.