without analyzing and re-routing them. Routers linked LANs that used different protocols. Bridges were cheaper and faster than routers, but routers were more reliable, secure, and intelligent (in optimizing the accessibility of applications and prioritizing time-sensitive traffic). Bridges were typically used in smaller, simpler networks and routers were more often used in larger multiprotocol networks. Switches—essentially multiport bridges—were an efficient, cost-effective way to provide dedicated bandwidth to each user in a network and to allow each device on the network to access the network’s full transmission speed. This translated to more speed for the user.