@fredrik222 IS spot on; An ethernet frame is in essence an envelope that carries the digital data; TCPIP is the transport protocol used to ensure that the envelopes arrive in an order to ensure constant reliable transmission of data. The disassembly and reassembly of these packets is done at the transmitting station and the receiving station -- your source for your music and your streamer or DAC. This is where the digital music files get pushed into whatever converter you have for the playing of the reconstructed analog signal. I would always agree to buy a known reliable Ethernet switch and decent cabling; most ethernet chipsets used in comms gear globally are made by a handful of manufacturers, Broadcomm and Intel to name a couple. I'd spend more money on interconnects than spending a fortune of comme gear.