Editing Point-to-point (telecommunications) (section)

==Networking==
In a [[local network]], [[repeater hub]]s or [[network switch|switches]] provide basic connectivity. A hub provides a point-to-multipoint (or simply multipoint) circuit in which all connected client nodes share the network bandwidth. A switch on the other hand provides a series of point-to-point circuits, via microsegmentation, which allows each client node to have a dedicated circuit and the added advantage of having [[full-duplex]] connections.

From the [[OSI model]]'s layer perspective, both switches and repeater hubs provide point-to-point connections on the [[physical layer]]. However, on the [[data link layer]], a repeater hub provides point-to-multipoint connectivity – each [[frame (networking)|frame]] is forwarded to all nodes – while a switch provides virtual point-to-point connections – each [[unicast]] frame is only forwarded to the destination node.

Within many [[Circuit switching|switched telecommunications systems]], it is possible to establish a permanent circuit. One example might be a telephone in the lobby of a public building, which is programmed to ring only the number of a telephone dispatcher. "Nailing down" a switched connection saves the cost of running a physical circuit between the two points. The resources in such a connection can be released when no longer needed, for example, a television circuit from a parade route back to the studio.