Eli5 Switch, Router and Hub
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To quote another comment on a similar post on this sub:
Router: Directs network traffic based on destination
addresses and preset rules. These are usually situated
between gateways/modems and switches
Switch: These devices simply connect multiple devices
together, sort of like a splitter. Although managed switches
can do quite a bit more, such as create VLAN’s, which can
help organize and protect network traffic
Hub: These are essentially the dumb versions of switches
They function like repeaters, so when a computer talks on
the network, the hub will broadcast that message to every
port on the hub. If the message reaches the target PC, then
that PC will do the same. This is a very inefficient method,
which is why hubs are obsolete. Switches contain memory,
so they remember which PC is on which port, and will direct
messages to the correct port without having to constantly
broadcast to all ports.
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For the average home user, here are the three types of devices you might have:
Modem: you didn’t mention this one, but 99% of the time you’re going to have a cable modem or a DSL modem. If you happen to have Fiber Internet, you’ll have a Optical Network Terminal instead. Either way, think of this as the device that enables you to connect to your ISP miles away.
Router: to a home Internet user, this is the device that enables you to have lots of devices share one Internet connection. Usually this is a Wifi router, meaning it broadcasts a Wifi signal, and also lets you plug in devices directly using Ethernet.
Switch: less common, but if you want to connect a bunch of PCs to your router and you don’t have enough Ethernet ports, you can use a switch.
The last one you asked about is a hub, which is an obsolete version of a switch, not used anymore.
Hub-Traffic enters a port and is replicated to all ports. Layer 1
Ethernet Switch-Traffic enters a port and is forwarded only to the port that has the mac address it is looking for. Layer 2.
Router-Traffic enters a port and is forwarded based on the routing table which is IP based. Layer 3.
It used to be that the devices were dumber and faster at lower levels and slower but more intelligent (expensive)at higher layers.
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