Circuit switching and packet switching both are methods of implementing communication channels between nodes in a network. However, there are differences in the communication approach.
| Circuit Switching | Packet Switching |
|---|---|
| In circuit switching, a dedicated communication channel is established. | In packet switching, transmitted data is grouped into suitably sized blocks, called packets, that are transmitted via a medium that may be shared by multiple simultaneous communication sessions. |
| A physical communication path is established for the entire session of conversation. | Route is established for each packet. |
| It has fixed bandwith. | It has dynamic bandwidth. |
| No overhead bits after call setup. | Overhead bits are present in each packet. |