A patch cable, patch cord or patch lead is an electrical or fiber-optic cable used to connect one electronic or optical device to another for signal routing. Devices of different types are connected with patch cords.
A Category 6 patch cable with 8P8C plugs, wired according to T568B
A couple of managed Gigabit Ethernet rackmount switches, connected to the Ethernet ports on a few patch panels using Category 6 patch cables. (All equipment is installed in a standard 19-inch rack)
A network switch is networking hardware that connects devices on a computer network by using packet switching to receive and forward data to the destination device.
Avaya ERS 2550T-PWR, a 50-port Ethernet switch
A modular network switch with three network modules (a total of 36 Ethernet ports) and one power supply
A five-port layer-2 switch without management functionality
A rack-mounted 24-port 3Com switch