Should there be a difference in LAN-only file transfers when using a router vs. a switch?
Since client-to-client communications all occur on the LAN side of a router using http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priva […] 34;private IP addresses, the routing “engine” should not be involved in the transfer. So there should be no speed difference between the two methods—all other factors being the same. Speed differences could occur due to differences in the switch chip used, and particularly due to differences in auto-negotiation of speed and link type. These factors, unfortunately, can’t be controlled in most consumer routers and switches. It’s also possible that the router is either trying to do a DNS lookup on LAN traffic or forwarding it through its default gateway—both of which it should not be doing, and which could slow transfers down significantly.