F5F Stay Refreshed Power Users Networks Which should I pick: a Question Router or a Layer 3 Switch?

Which should I pick: a Question Router or a Layer 3 Switch?

Which should I pick: a Question Router or a Layer 3 Switch?

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GewoonMerijn_
Member
77
10-25-2026, 09:47 PM
#1
I work in a data center, but my money is tight right now. Soon, I'll be getting a 10 Gb line. Should I buy a router or a layer 3 switch? I don't want to spend forever on paying license fees. Any advice would help me decide?
G
GewoonMerijn_
10-25-2026, 09:47 PM #1

I work in a data center, but my money is tight right now. Soon, I'll be getting a 10 Gb line. Should I buy a router or a layer 3 switch? I don't want to spend forever on paying license fees. Any advice would help me decide?

B
Blubberboy22
Member
74
10-26-2026, 06:41 AM
#2
You can't figure it out. Just don't think about what a "10Gb line" means when talking about how things work at the network level.
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Blubberboy22
10-26-2026, 06:41 AM #2

You can't figure it out. Just don't think about what a "10Gb line" means when talking about how things work at the network level.

9
992x
Senior Member
506
10-26-2026, 09:29 AM
#3
I figured out that Layer 3 was handling routing.
9
992x
10-26-2026, 09:29 AM #3

I figured out that Layer 3 was handling routing.

S
slayer__is
Senior Member
521
10-26-2026, 12:05 PM
#4
It can. My idea is that a 10 Gigabit line goes by wire speed. It doesn't matter if it's for IP or routing. You could even have a T1 line and face the same question. Generally speaking, your firewall is where the 10GE cable gets plugged in. The number of public IP addresses available there decides what you do on that firewall. It might be doing NAT, it might be letting traffic pass straight through, or it might be balancing loads. If you have many firewalls connected together, then you probably need an L3 switch with WAN routing protocols like BGP to act as the single entry point for your whole group of firewalls. You must ask your provider what specific protocols they require at the edge of your network.
S
slayer__is
10-26-2026, 12:05 PM #4

It can. My idea is that a 10 Gigabit line goes by wire speed. It doesn't matter if it's for IP or routing. You could even have a T1 line and face the same question. Generally speaking, your firewall is where the 10GE cable gets plugged in. The number of public IP addresses available there decides what you do on that firewall. It might be doing NAT, it might be letting traffic pass straight through, or it might be balancing loads. If you have many firewalls connected together, then you probably need an L3 switch with WAN routing protocols like BGP to act as the single entry point for your whole group of firewalls. You must ask your provider what specific protocols they require at the edge of your network.