StarTiger
02-20-2003, 09:40 AM
What is the diffrence between a HUB, Switch and a Router? (other than price) and what are they used for?
Thanx
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retoon
02-20-2003, 09:52 AM
A hub recieves packets from a node and sends it out to all other nodes connected to it and depends on the node itself to either accept or reject the packets. A switch actually deciphers wich node the packets are intended for by using the node's mac address, and a router is a very intelligent machine. It is capable of connecting multiple networks, and allowing every node or network connected to it to work at different speeds. EX. 10Mbps, 100Mbps, 11Mbps(wireless). Why do you ask?
bwkaz
02-20-2003, 11:21 AM
Well I don't know why you include "router" in with "hub" and "switch", as a router is an entirely different beast.
Routers only have 2 ports (well... one port for each network they connect to). They are pretty much the only thing that can be connected to 2 different subnets at the same time. Most of the time, they can forward packets between subnets as dictated by their setup.
Normal PCs can be routers, if you put 2 network cards into them.
Or are you talking about the "n-port broadband router" boxes that people with less than a clue are selling? Those are not routers; they're routers with an integrated hub or switch (an (n+1)-port hub or switch). The router itself is internally connected to one of the ports of the hub/switch, and the other ports can be plugged into from the outside. These boxes should not be called routers, or even n-port routers, they should (IMNSHO) be called n-port router/switch combos or n-port router/hub combos. That way, you're sure that you're getting a real switch if that's something that's important to you (it should be; switches also, in addition to the above, dedicate the full 10 or 100 megabit bandwidth to each port, where with hubs, the full 10 or 100 megabits of bandwidth is shared among all ports). But that's just my (again, not-so-humble) opinion.
Routers only have 2 ports (well... one port for each network they connect to). They are pretty much the only thing that can be connected to 2 different subnets at the same time. Most of the time, they can forward packets between subnets as dictated by their setup.
Normal PCs can be routers, if you put 2 network cards into them.
Or are you talking about the "n-port broadband router" boxes that people with less than a clue are selling? Those are not routers; they're routers with an integrated hub or switch (an (n+1)-port hub or switch). The router itself is internally connected to one of the ports of the hub/switch, and the other ports can be plugged into from the outside. These boxes should not be called routers, or even n-port routers, they should (IMNSHO) be called n-port router/switch combos or n-port router/hub combos. That way, you're sure that you're getting a real switch if that's something that's important to you (it should be; switches also, in addition to the above, dedicate the full 10 or 100 megabit bandwidth to each port, where with hubs, the full 10 or 100 megabits of bandwidth is shared among all ports). But that's just my (again, not-so-humble) opinion.
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