Now, these three elements are not the same. In this post we will see the particularities that each one has and what differentiates them from each other. In this way, you can clear all the doubts you have about it.
What is a Hub and what is it used for?
Starting with the Hub, we can say that this is the simplest device in this comparison, and its only function is to be able to interconnect different computers from a local network. Its operation is really simple: when any of the different existing computers in the local network are connected to it, it transfers data, the Hub starts to replicate them and transmits this data to the rest of the computers connected to this same network.
Therefore, we can say that the Hub is considered a central connection point of a network, and is often used for interconnect different computers that are connected within the same local network. In addition, it is a really useful tool given its nature for network analysis since, by repeating and distributing the same data among all the computers, Possible errors that occur within a specific network can be analyzed in a simple way.
However, we must bear in mind that this device does not allow to connect to the internetand it does not allow sending the information data to certain computers either, since it only copies what it receives from the sending computer and copies them by sending them to the rest of the computers connected to the network in the same way.
Another detail to keep in mind is that while this data exchange is taking place, no other computer can send another signal with information until this process is finishedin addition to the fact that the cost of bandwidth is really high.
What is a switch and what is it used for?
If we take a look at the Switch, we realize that this device has a philosophy that is really similar to the Hub, since it is also used for creating local networks. The main difference that we find in this device with respect to the Hub, is that here the data sent by the sending computer goes directly to the destination computer without there being a replica of it.
Therefore, we obtain a clear advantage, and that is that while we send data to a computer on the local network, the rest of the computers can continue to send data between them. In fact, this device was created with the aim of being able to work with a greater number of connected devices than we can do with a Hub, so by having much more fluid communication between them, Substantially reduces the number of errors that can be generated.
In this case, the Switch works through what are known as MAC addresses, something really useful to be able to identify each computer independently and decide from where we send our data and which is the exact receiver of the same, without the need for them to be copied to the rest of the computers that are connected to the same network.
What is a Router and what is it used for?
Finally, we have to review what the Router’s functionalities are and what this device is used for. We must start from the basis that the Router can carry out the same functions of the Hub and the Switchsince it incorporates a Switch with between 4 and 8 Ethernet ports.
In this way, the Router is not only capable of being able to transfer information between computers that are connected to the same local network, but in this case We will also be able to do this sending with equipment that can also connect to other external networks.
In general, these teams incorporate security technologies such as a hardware-based firewallNAT, a DHCP server and DNS server, so we won’t have to install anything additional to have a secure connection away from problems.
How are these three devices different?
As we have seen, Hubs and Switches are devices with a really similar operation. The biggest difference between them it is in how they send the data between the different computers connected to the same local networksince the Hub sends this data to all the computers equally, while from the Switch we can select the only recipient of the same.
And as for the Router, it offers the same functions as these last two but taking it one step further, allowing not only to be limited to a connection between computers in the same local network, but by extending this limit to other computers connected to an external network.
But, don’t panic, since today when you contract an internet service in any company, this will always install a Router. In this way, you will be able to enjoy the connection both in local networks with the rest of the computers that you have connected to it and allow any of these computers to connect to the Internet.