Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 02:29:22 +0000 From: Lee <lee@smallbone.com> Message-ID: <13103.001229@smallbone.com> Subject: [OT] Hub vs. Switch Hi there, Perhaps someone can give me a straight answer to this. What is best to use for a medium sized, 100mbit, possibly heavy used network? Hubs or switches? Also, can someone *please* explain to me what a switch is, what it does, and how it differs from a hub, and if there are any problems with using switches directly in place of hubs (except for cost.) I'd be indebted to anyone who can offer some UserFriendly advice here. <p>Best regards, Lee
Message-Id: <5.0.2.1.2.20001228210238.020e9c10@pop.rahul.net> Date: Thu, 28 Dec 2000 21:26:30 -0800 From: "Christopher D. Reimer" <creimer@rahul.net> Subject: Re: [SLE] [OT] Hub vs. Switch At 06:29 PM 12/28/2000, you wrote: <p>> Perhaps someone can give me a straight answer to this. What is best
to use for a medium sized, 100mbit, possibly heavy used network? Hubs or switches?
A switch is better.
Also, can someone *please* explain to me what a switch is, what it does, and how it differs from a hub, and if there are any problems with using switches directly in place of hubs (except for cost.)
A plain hub is a passive device. If Computer A sends data packets addressed to Computer D, the plain hub will simply forward the data packets to all the computers and/or any network segments connected to the hub. This creates traffic and slows down the network. A switch hub is an intelligent device. If Computer A sends data packets addressed to Computer D, the switch can look at each packet's address and forward the packets to the correct computer or network segment. This reduces overall traffic and speeds up the network. Or, too put it in more simpler terms, a plain hub is a busy cross street with no lights or traffic signs. A switch hub is a busy cross street that has a traffic cop smoothly directing traffic. Christopher Reimer
Message-ID: <3A4D223B.8F3766DE@bow.intnet.mu> Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 19:46:03 -0400 From: Ajay <ajay@bow.intnet.mu> Subject: Re: [SLE] [OT] Hub vs. Switch "Christopher D. Reimer" wrote:
At 06:29 PM 12/28/2000, you wrote:
Perhaps someone can give me a straight answer to this. What is best to use for a medium sized, 100mbit, possibly heavy used network? Hubs or switches?
A switch is better.
Also, can someone *please* explain to me what a switch is, what it does, and how it differs from a hub, and if there are any problems with using switches directly in place of hubs (except for cost.)
A plain hub is a passive device. If Computer A sends data packets addressed to Computer D, the plain hub will simply forward the data packets to all the computers and/or any network segments connected to the hub. This creates traffic and slows down the network.
This can also be a security concern. Someone to whom the packet is not destined might be able to eavesdrop on the packet.
A switch hub is an intelligent device. If Computer A sends data packets addressed to Computer D, the switch can look at each packet's address and forward the packets to the correct computer or network segment. This reduces overall traffic and speeds up the network.
This could also add to security.
Or, too put it in more simpler terms, a plain hub is a busy cross street with no lights or traffic signs. A switch hub is a busy cross street that has a traffic cop smoothly directing traffic.
Christopher Reimer
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Message-ID: <3A4C8C08.FBFC8CF8@home.nl> Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 14:05:12 +0100 From: "M.C. Broersma" <mc.broersma@home.nl> Subject: Re: [SLE] [OT] Hub vs. Switch Lee wrote:
Hi there,
Perhaps someone can give me a straight answer to this. What is best to use for a medium sized, 100mbit, possibly heavy used network? Hubs or switches?
Also, can someone *please* explain to me what a switch is, what it does, and how it differs from a hub, and if there are any problems with using switches directly in place of hubs (except for cost.)
I'd be indebted to anyone who can offer some UserFriendly advice here.
Hallo I tried to post this message earlier, but SuSE didn't accepted my messages because I a used one of my other E-mail reply addresses Like Christopher Reimer wrote, a hub sends all data to all ports and a switch is intelligent and separates the network traffic. It will control the traffic direction on basis of the MAC addresses of the computers connected to his ports. This has also a security advantage, because if computer A en B are talking and computer C is monitoring the network traffic, then this traffic will not be seen by computer C. But the single fact of traffic separation doesn't mean that ethernet traffic via a Switch is faster than via a Hub. The explanation of Christopher about traffic light and cops is a little bit to simple. A switch is only faster if it can handle more connection at the same time, so internally it must have a bandwidth of 2 or more times the 100mb/s of a single network connection. I advise you to take a look at the internal bandwidth specification before you buy a switch. My expirience about more complicated highly configurable switches is, that they may contain firmware/software bugs which can cause a lot of trouble in your network. Minze Broersma
Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 08:11:12 -0800 From: "Spunk S. Spunk III" <spunk@mac.com> Message-ID: <B671F7A0.28DB%spunk@mac.com> Subject: Re: [SLE] [OT] Hub vs. Switch I do a lot of streaming and need to look at my packets in order to verify they are behaving. A Switch will be a problem if you need to peek at your own traffic. Spunk
This has also a security advantage, because if computer A en B are talking and computer C is monitoring the network traffic, then this traffic will not be seen by computer C.
participants (5)
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ajay＠bow.intnet.mu -
creimer＠rahul.net -
lee＠smallbone.com -
mc.broersma＠home.nl -
spunk＠mac.com