Which statement best describes the difference between a hub and a bridge?

A Hub is a networking device that allows one to connect multiple PCs to a single network. Hubs may be based on Ethernet, Firewire, or USB connections. A switch is a control unit that turns the flow of electricity on or off in a circuit. It may also be used to route information patterns in streaming electronic data sent over networks. In the context of a network, a switch is a computer networking device that connects network segments.

	Hub	Switch
Layer	Physical layer. Hubs are classified as Layer 1 devices per the OSI model.	Data Link Layer. Network switches operate at Layer 2 of the OSI model.
Function	To connect a network of personal computers together, they can be joined through a central hub.	Allow connections to multiple devices, manage ports, manage VLAN security settings
Data Transmission form	Electrical signal or bits	Frame (L2 Switch) Frame & Packet (L3 switch)
Ports	4/12 ports	Switch is multi port Bridge. 24/48 ports
Transmission Type	Hubs always perform frame flooding; may be unicast, multicast or broadcast	First broadcast; then unicast & multicast as needed.
Device Type	Passive Device (Without Software)	Active Device (With Software) & Networking device
Used in (LAN, MAN, WAN)	LAN	LAN
Table	A network hub cannot learn or store MAC address.	Switches use content accessible memory CAM table which is typically accessed by ASIC (Application Specific integrated chips).
Transmission Mode	Half duplex	Half/Full duplex
Broadcast Domain	Hub has one Broadcast Domain.	Switch has one broadcast domain [unless VLAN implemented]
Definition	An electronic device that connects many network device together so that devices can exchange data	A network switch is a computer networking device that is used to connect many devices together on a computer network. A switch is considered more advanced than a hub because a switch will on send msg to device that needs or request it
Speed	10Mbps	10/100 Mbps, 1 Gbps
Address used for data tramsmission	Uses MAC address	Uses MAC address
Necessary for Internet Connection?	No.	No
Device Category	non intelligent device	Intelligent Device
Manufacturers	Sun Systems, Oracle and Cisco	Cisco and D-link Juniper
Collisions	Collisions occur commonly in setups using hubs.	No collisions occur in a full-duplex switch.
Spanning-Tree	No Spanning-Tree	Many Spanning-tree Possible

A switch is effectively a higher-performance alternative to a hub. People tend to benefit from a switch over a hub if their home network has four or more computers, or if they want to use their home network for applications that generate significant amounts of network traffic, like multiplayer games or heavy music file sharing. Technically speaking, hubs operate using a broadcast model and switches operate using a virtual circuit model. When four computers are connected to a hub, for example, and two of those computers communicate with each other, hubs simply pass through all network traffic to each of the four computers. Switches, on the other hand, are capable of determining the destination of each individual traffic element (such as an Ethernet frame) and selectively forwarding data to the one computer that actually needs it. By generating less network traffic in delivering messages, a switch performs better than a hub on busy networks.

In the following video, hubs, switches, and routers are compared.

Function of a switch vs. a hub

A switch is used to connect various network segments. A network switch is a small hardware device that joins multiple computers together within one local area network (LAN).

A Hub connects multiple Ethernet devices together, making them act as a single segment.

Connections to hubs and switches

Networking hubs are currently available with USB, Ethernet, Firewire, and Wireless connections. Most popular amongst them is still Ethernet, which requires a special networking card on the PC, or an Ethernet connection built into the motherboard. Switches are also available for networks in USB, Ethernet, Firewire, and Wireless, and simple switches like an on/off button can be applied to manage and maintain large computer networks. As with hubs, Ethernet implementations of network switches are the most common.  Mainstream Ethernet network switches support either 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps, or 10/100 Mbps Ethernet standards. On the other hand, hubs include a series of ports that each accept a network cable. Larger hubs contain eight, 12, 16, and even 24 ports.

Manufacturers of hubs and switches

Some of the leading manufacturers of computer hubs for networking are Sun Systems, Oracle, and Cisco. These companies also manufacture switches, such as LAN switches and data routers, as well as other hardware that is necessary for large-scale computer networks. For home or small business networks, there are a large number of international companies specializing in the production of switches and hubs, such as Belkin, Linksys, and Net Gear.

Cost of a hub vs. cost of switch

Hubs cost lesser than a switch with the average Ethernet hub costing less than $30.

References

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The following sections provide you with the opportunity to review what you learned in this chapter and to test yourself.

• Both hubs and switches are used in Ethernet networks. Token Ring networks, which are few and far between, use special devices called multistation access units (MSAUs) to create the network.

• The function of a hub is to take data from one of the connected devices and forward it to all the other ports on the hub.

• Most hubs are considered active because they regenerate a signal before forwarding it to all the ports on the device. In order to do this, the hub needs a power supply.

• Rather than forwarding data to all the connected ports, a switch forwards data only to the port on which the destination system is connected.

• Switches make forwarding decisions based on the Media Access Control (MAC) addresses of the devices connected to them to determine the correct port.

• In cut-through switching, the switch begins to forward the packet as soon as it is received.

• In a store-and-forward configuration, the switch waits to receive the entire packet before beginning to forward it.

• FragmentFree switching works by reading only the part of the packet that enables it to identify fragments of a transmission.

• Hubs and switches have two types of ports: Medium Dependent Interface (MDI) and Medium Dependent Interface-Crossed (MDI-X).

• A straight-through cable is used to connect systems to the switch or hub using the MDI-X ports.

• In a crossover cable, wires 1 and 3 and wires 2 and 6 are crossed.

• Both hubs and switches come in managed and unmanaged versions. A managed device has an interface through which it can be configured to perform certain special functions.

• Bridges are used to divide up networks and thus reduce the amount of traffic on each network.

• Unlike bridges and switches, which use the hardware-configured MAC address to determine the destination of the data, routers use the software-configured network address to make decisions.

• With distance-vector routing protocols, each router communicates all the routes it knows about to all other routers to which it is directly attached.

• RIP is a distance routing protocol for both TCP and IPX.

• Link state protocols communicate with all other devices on the network to build complete maps of the network. They generate less network traffic than distance vector routing protocols but require more powerful network hardware.

• Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) and NetWare Link State Protocol (NLSP) are the most commonly used link state routing protocols used on IP and IPX networks respectively.

• The term gateway is applied to any device, system, or software application that can perform the function of translating data from one format to another.

• A CSU/DSU acts as a translator between the LAN and the WAN data formats.

• Wireless network devices gain access to the network via Wireless Access Points.

• Wireless Access Points provide additional functionality such as DHCP, router, firewall, and hub/switch.

• Modems translate digital signals from a computer into analog signals that can travel across conventional phone lines.

• Transceivers are devices on the network that both transmit and receive data signals.

• Media converters are used to convert between one media type and another.

• Hub

• Bridge

• Gateway

• Network Interface Cards

• ISDN adapters

• Switch

• Router

• CSU/DSU

• System area network cards

• Wireless Access Points (WAPs)

• Modems

• MAC addresses

• Distance vector

• Link state

• Dynamic routing

• Static routing

• NLSP

• OSPF

• RIP

• Convergence

• Bridging loops

• Transceivers

• Media converters

1. Users are complaining that the performance of the network is not satisfactory. It takes a long time to pull files from the server, and, under heavy loads, workstations can become disconnected from the server. The network is heavily used, and a new video conferencing application is about to be installed. The network is a 100BaseT system created with Ethernet hubs. Which of the following devices are you most likely to install to alleviate the performance problems?

1. Switch

2. Router

3. Bridge

4. Gateway

2. Which of the following devices forwards data packets to all connected ports?

3. Of the following routing methods, which is likely to take the most amount of administration time in the long term?

1. Static

2. Link state

3. Distance vector

4. Dynamic

4. Your manager asks you to look into some upgrades for your network. The current network is a 10Base2 system, and you have been experiencing numerous hard-to-track-down cable problems. As a result, you have decided to upgrade to a 10BaseT system. On the networking vendor's price list are both active and passive hubs. The passive hubs are considerably cheaper than the active ones, and you are tempted to opt for them so that you come in under budget. A colleague advises you against the purchase of passive hubs. What is the primary difference between an active and a passive hub?

1. Passive hubs do not offer any management capabilities.

2. Passive hubs cannot be used in full-duplex mode.

3. Passive hubs do not regenerate the data signal.

4. Passive hubs forward data to all ports on the hub, not just the one for which they are intended.

5. Which of the following statements best describes a gateway?

1. It is a device that enables data to be routed from one network to another.

2. It is a term used to refer to any device that resides at the entrance of a network.

3. It is a device, system, or application that translates data from one format to another.

4. It is a network device that can forward or block data based on the MAC address embedded within the packet.

6. You have a thin coaxial-based Ethernet network and are experiencing performance problems on the network. By using a network performance-monitoring tool, you determine that there are a large number of collisions on the network. In an effort to reduce the collisions, you decide to install a network bridge. What kind of bridge are you most likely to implement?

1. Collision bridge

2. Transparent bridge

3. Visible bridge

4. Translational bridge

7. Which of the following represents a valid MAC address?

1. 00-D0-56-F2-B5-12

2. 00-63-T6-4H-7U-78

3. 00-62-DE-6F-D2

4. 000-622-DE5-75E-EA6

8. Which of the following devices passes data based on the MAC address?

9. What is the speed of the 16550 UART chip?

1. 921,600

2. 430,800

3. 115,200

4. 9,600

10. Which of the following devices would you find only on a Token Ring network?

1. The correct answer is A. Replacing Ethernet hubs with switches can yield significant performance improvements. Of the devices listed, they are also the only one that can be substituted for hubs. Answer B, router, is incorrect as a router is used to separate networks, not as a connectivity point for workstations. A bridge could be used to segregate the network and so improve performance, but a switch is a more obvious choice in this example. Therefore, answer C is incorrect. Answer D, gateway, is incorrect. A gateway is a device, system, or application that translates data from one format to another.

2. The correct answer is D. Hubs are inefficient devices that send data packets to all connected devices. Many of today’s networks are upgrading to switches that pass data packets to the specific destination device. This method significantly increases network performance.

3. The correct answer is A. Static routing will take more time to administer in the long term, as any changes to the network routing table must be entered manually. Answers B and C are incorrect. Distance vector and link state are both dynamic routing methods. Answer D is also incorrect. Dynamic routing might take more time to configure initially; but in the long term, it will require less administration time. It can adapt to changes in the network layout automatically.

4. The correct answer is C. An active hub regenerates the data signal before forwarding, it a passive hub does not. Answer A is incorrect. The management capabilities of a hub have nothing to do with the active/passive aspect of the device. Answer B is incorrect. Hubs are not capable of operating in full-duplex mode. Only network switches are capable of performing this function in this context. Answer D describes the function of a switch, not a hub.

5. The correct answer is C. A gateway can be a device, system, or application that translates data from one format to another. Answers B and D are more likely to describe a router than a gateway. Answer D describes a bridge. A bridge is a device that is used to segregate a network. It makes forwarding or blocking decisions based on the MAC address embedded within the packet.

6. The correct answer is B. A transparent bridge can be used to segment a network, which reduces the amount of collisions and the overall network traffic. It is called transparent because the other devices on the network do not need to be aware of the device and will, in fact, operate as if it wasn’t there. Answer D is incorrect as a translational bridge is used in environments where it is necessary to translate from one data format to another. Such a conversion is not necessary in this scenario. Answers A and C are invalid. There is no such thing as a collision bridge or a visible bridge.

7. The correct answer is A. A MAC address is a 6-byte address that is expressed in hexadecimal format. Answer B contains the letters T and U, which are not valid. Hexadecimal format uses only numbers and the letters A through F. For this reason, answer B is incorrect. Answer C is only five bytes, so it is incorrect. Answer D is incorrect because a byte in hexadecimal is expressed in two characters and the answer uses three.

8. The correct answer is B. When determining the destination for a data packet, the switch learns the MAC address of all devices attached to it and then matches the destination MAC address in the data it receives. None of the other devices pass data based solely on the MAC address.

9. The correct answer is C. 115,200 is the speed of the 16550 UART chip. Answer A is incorrect as 921,600 is the speed of the 16750 and 16950 UART chips. Answer B is incorrect as 430,800 is the speed of the 16650 UART chip and 9600 is the speed of the 8250 UART chip.

10. The correct answer is C. A Multistation Access Unit (MSAU) is used as the connectivity point on a Token Ring network. Answers A and B are incorrect. Switches and hubs are associated with Ethernet networks. Answer D is incorrect. Routers can be found on both Token Ring and Ethernet networks.