The Hub/ Switch

By: Alex Stordahl

Mr. Bennig
Hour 2

What is a hub? What is a switch?

Switch is a small hardware device that
joins multiple computers together within
one local area network (LAN)
A Hub is used in a wired network to connect
Ethernet cables from a number of devices together.
The hub allows each device to talk to the others.

Different Types of Hubs

Active Hubs

An active hubs works more than just a connector

but also regenerates the data bits to ensure the
signals are strong.
It provides an active participation in the network
aside from acting as an interface. It participates in
the data communication, such as storing signals
received through the input ports, before forwarding
them. It can monitor the data it is forwarding and
sometimes help improve signals before forwarding
them to other connections. Such a feature makes
troubleshooting network problems easier.

Intelligent hubs.
An intelligent hub can perform everything that the passive
hub and active hub do, and help manage network resources
effectively to ensure that the performance of the network is
highly efficient. An intelligent hub can also help in
troubleshooting by pinpointing the actual location of the
problem.

How the Hub works.

A computer's network interface card
sends out packets to the network. The
hub receives this information and
passes it through all the ports on the
hub that have attached cables. This
means that the computer that sent the
data also gets it back. The networking
protocols have ways of determining
which computer on the network needs
to process the information.

How the Switch works Pt. 1

Most common switches operate by learning
the MAC addresses of all connected clients,
servers, and peripherals, and associating
each address with one if it ports. When a
switch receives an incoming signal, it
creates a temporary circuit between the
sender and the receiver. The temporary
circuit provides two important benefits.

How the Switch works Pt. 2

First, the circuit allows the sender and
receiver momentarily to exchange
information without intrusion from other
devices. Each pair of communicating
devices utilizes the full bandwidth of the
network instead of sharing bandwidth, as
they do in unswitched Ethernet networks.

How the Switch works Pt. 3

Second, the circuit ensures that information
travels directly between the communicating
computers.

Major Manufacturers of Hubs

Syba, Zonet, Ppa Intl, Sabrent, Logitech,
GWC, iHome, Link Depot, CablesToGo,
Belkin.
Hubs can range from $7.99 to $54.99

Major Manufacturers of Switches

NETGEAR, D-Link, SMC.
Switches can range from $19.99 to $159.99

History of the Switch

On August 29, 1969 the first network switch
and the first piece of network equipment
(called "IMP", which is short for Interface
Message Processor) is sent to UCLA.
On September 2, 1969 the first data moves
from UCLA host to the IMP switch.

History of the Hub

1994 - The system was completed in 1994. It

introduced an on-line remote access facility to four
government departments, allowing users to display
and print maps at remote locations using personal
computers. The Hub's major users include land
master planning by the Urban Redevelopment
Authority, planning of Mass Rapid Transit (MRT)
lines by the MRT Corporation, and the compilation
and analysis of state land ownership statistics by
the Ministry of Law's Land Office

Hub History Pt. 2

Oct 26, 1998 - Software developer Dawn

DeBruyn sells a product that turns a single
personal computer into a hub for the
whole family.

Difference Between a Hub and a

Switch
The hub is basically the least expensive and
the least intelligent. Basically, anything that
comes to one port is sent out to the others.
A switch does what a hub does, but way
better. By paying attention to the traffic and
other things that come along, it can learn
and study where the addresses are.

Sources
www.answers.com
http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_
id/233
http://www2.edc.org/cope/networkprimer/p
rimch5.
pdf
www.newegg.com