Ethernet Network Hubs
An Ethernet hub, active hub, bridged hub, wireless hub, packet hub, wireless repeater hub, or simply simple hub is usually a computer hardware device for connecting several different Ethernet devices together with the use of an Ethernet cable and hardware switch. It is often utilized in home networks to allow computers to communicate over a Local Area Network, or LAN. There are several types of Ethernet switches that are available in the market. Some examples of these switches include: Compaq Netirstage Server NetBook Server, Dell Wireless LAN Server, and Linksys Wireless LAN Server.
The most common type of Ethernet networking hub is the so-called stand-alone type. This is the most popular type of Ethernet hub. This type connects devices via Ethernet cables and has a single physical connection point. Traditionally, this type of hub was used for a single computer system. In recent years, the role of this type of hub has changed as more computers became equipped with a multi-core processor and dedicated memory. In this case, a secondary physical connection point is provided so that several devices can be connected to the hub.
Another type of Ethernet network connection is the intelligent hub. It has more processing power than a stand-alone device. Unlike a traditional hub, an intelligent hub has its own integrated Ethernet switches. This type of hub generally includes its own battery, Ethernet cable, and router. With an intelligent hub you get a local area network connection where several computers can communicate with each other using various protocols such as TCP/IP and Bluetooth.
There are three major types of ports provided on Ethernet switches. The first port refers to USB ports. The second port is for DC inputs, while the third port is for an STD-compliant modem. These three ports are essential to connect personal computers to Ethernet networks.
How does an Ethernet network hub differ from a switch? A switch separates devices when one switches to another. Hubs allow multiple devices to be connected to one another without using any kind of separate switch. The difference between a switch and a hub lies in the way the switches are powered and managed.
The major advantage of a hub over a switch is its capability to handle more traffic. Switching between several ports is often required for many applications. For example, if there are twenty-five people at a small business who want to connect to the Internet, all of them will need to configure and select their own ports to connect to the Internet. However, with a hub there are as many ports as there are computers. As long as there are at least two power sources for the hub device, any number of computers can connect to it.
On the other hand, switches have to use a static IP address whenever they are connected to other devices. This allows each computer to know its own connection. Hubs function in the same manner, except that multiple hubs can share the same IP address without being able to distinguish between their own computers. If a single hub device has multiple connections to different IP addresses, this can cause problems for other computers on the network.
The physical design of a hub lies between the physical layer of a switch and the logical layer of a router. A switch operates at the micro level, while a hub operates at the macro or physical layer. A switch is made up of a number of different components including wires and connectors. Hubs are made up of a single board which has all the components of the switch or router attached. As you can see, the physical layer of a hub is much simpler than that of a switch.
