whats the diff between switch, router and hub
- Thread starter tremmor
- Start date
Quiltface
Active Member
basically a router routes traffic from one subnet or network to another.
If computer A is 192.168.0.10/25 and computer B is 192.168.0.130/25 those 2 computers will not be able to talk to each other because they are on a different subnet. computer A will need to access a router... say the router has 2 ports Port1 192.168.0.1/25 and the other 192.168.0.129/25 Computer A will need to send the packet to Port1 of the router which is on pc A's network and then the router will decide by using its routing table that the packet is meant for the 192.168.0.128/25 network and will push it out port 2 sending it to pc b.
a hub connects multiple nodes on a single subnet
a switch does the same thing but is smarter than a hub in that it learns the MAC address of the nodes that it is connected to.
Say for instance you have a 5 port switch with computer A on port 1 and B on port 2 and so on. As soon as computer A broadcasts out the switch will learn its mac address and know that any packet meant for computer A will go to port 1. a hub will send that packet to all ports.
A switch reduces network talk, which greatly reduces collisions. hubs do not... and hubs operate in half duplex.
This is a very basic definition, if you want something more technical I recommend looking them up on wiki or something.
If computer A is 192.168.0.10/25 and computer B is 192.168.0.130/25 those 2 computers will not be able to talk to each other because they are on a different subnet. computer A will need to access a router... say the router has 2 ports Port1 192.168.0.1/25 and the other 192.168.0.129/25 Computer A will need to send the packet to Port1 of the router which is on pc A's network and then the router will decide by using its routing table that the packet is meant for the 192.168.0.128/25 network and will push it out port 2 sending it to pc b.
a hub connects multiple nodes on a single subnet
a switch does the same thing but is smarter than a hub in that it learns the MAC address of the nodes that it is connected to.
Say for instance you have a 5 port switch with computer A on port 1 and B on port 2 and so on. As soon as computer A broadcasts out the switch will learn its mac address and know that any packet meant for computer A will go to port 1. a hub will send that packet to all ports.
A switch reduces network talk, which greatly reduces collisions. hubs do not... and hubs operate in half duplex.
This is a very basic definition, if you want something more technical I recommend looking them up on wiki or something.
As I know a hub is typically the least expensive, least intelligent, and least complicated of the three.
Switch is a device that filters and forwards packets between LAN segments.
It only operates with the computers on the same LAN. It isnt smart enough to send data out to the internet, or across a WAN. In order to do that, you have to have a router.
Switch is a device that filters and forwards packets between LAN segments.
It only operates with the computers on the same LAN. It isnt smart enough to send data out to the internet, or across a WAN. In order to do that, you have to have a router.