Layer 3 Switch

[keithhampshire]

I have a Catalyst Cisco 3560-CX series switch.  https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/switches/catalyst-3560-cx-series-switches/index.html 

I'm kind of new to networking so bare with me. If this is a layer 3 device, can I use it as a router? Can I run router commands just as I would on a router? If so, what's the use of a router if I can use a layer 3 switch as a router?

For a live home lab, can I run a patch cable from the modem to the this layer 3 switch and be able to NAT out to the internet?

[Mark Malone]

Hi switches yes can act as routers to a certain point but they switch traffic , routers work at layer 3 , switches can run routing protocols,statics but most cant do NAT at all and some cant do policy based routing too , as a home router no as you need NAT and that model cannot but you could still use it and allow a cheap router in front to do the NAT part no problem , it can do static routing to your home router and you could setup some vlans etc and then point statics back on the home router to the 3560

[Karsten Iwen]

In addition to what Mark said, a router often has security-functions like a firewall what you want to have when connecting to the internet. A L3-switch typically doesn't have that.