Understanding L2 Switch (Network Noob)

Question

I currently have the setup on the left and it works just fine...
I use it to transfer data between laptop and embedded systems hardware device. (Data...Not internet)
Question:
What would the set up on the right do ?
How would it interface with the laptop single USB entry port ?
The intent is not to share data, the intent is to have each device generate its own set of data and communicate that to the laptop

Zac67 · Accepted Answer

Yes, a switch is exactly what you need.
Using a switch, each device can communicate with any other in the same network. The switch uses the interfaces' MAC addresses to direct the traffic where it should go - no further configuration required (only for TCP/IP, see below).
It's like connecting them directly, the only difference is that without a dedicated interface, bandwidth is shared (the laptop cannot exceed its link bandwidth, no matter how many other devices there are).
If you assign IP addresses manually, that's all you need. You might want to add a DHCP server though, to simplify/centralize the IP configuration.

Understanding L2 Switch (Network Noob)

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