Jer

Hi

Silly question but is a switch the same thing as a hub? I need to network three PC's and an ADSL Router.

Cheers

Jer

MJW

No, a switch can switch between 10 and 100mbps, whereas a hub can't, AFAIK (though I bow to greater networking knowledge !)
Switches are dirt cheap now anyway, you'd be better with one of these, though I don't think a using a hub should cause you any problems if you have a spare one kicking about.
Alternatively many routers now come with a built-in 4-port switch - I have one for my cable modem so I can connect my daughters PC to the net and have a few spare slots for a LAN night - the best compromise IMO.

Jer

Ahh

Cheers, lots of help

jason4656

a hub is brainless, cant do anything, a switch is more intelligent and can do alot more than a hub, it is programmable where as a hub isnt

chiark

Close, but no cigar.

A hub is a "bus" type network where every port is connected to a common bus. everyone shouts, and all traffic on the hub receives everything from everyone. If it's a 100mb hub, then the bandwidth across the whole hub is 100mb. Collisions are frequent, but of course are fully handled. You can get hubs that support 10/100mb, but normally if you plug a 10mb device in, the whole hub will run at 10mb internally.

In a switch, ports are only connected to each other when communication is taking place between the ports. The switch learns the hardware address (MAC address) of each connected device and routes appropriately. Each port has 100mb of bandwidth, and collisions are much less frequent. Plugging in a 10mb device only brings the port in question down to 10mb.

More info than you need, but really you shouldn't be buying a hub, especially as switches are so cheap now!

Cheers,
Nick.

boomer

Excellent explanation of the differences by chiark

Cheers,

mb

Lathafummi

I have two spares 24 port switch's (dont ask why) one is 10m only and the other 10/100m