The Differences Between Hubs, Switches

and Routers
Some technicians have a tendency to use the terms Key Terms To
Understanding
routers, hubs and switches interchangeably. One minute Storage Servers:
they're talking about a switch. Two minutes later they're
discussing router settings. Throughout all of this, though, LAN
they're still looking at only the one box. Ever wonder A computer network
what the difference is among these boxes? The that spans a
relatively small area.
functions of the three devices are all quite different from Most LANs are
one another, even if at times they are all integrated into confined to a single
a single device. Which one do you use when? Let's take building or group of
buildings.
a look...
WAN
Hub, Switches, and Routers: Getting Started with A computer network
Definitions that spans a
relatively large
geographical area.
Hub Typically, a WAN
consists of two or
A common connection point for devices in a network. more local-area
Hubs are commonly used to connect segments of a networks (LANs).
LAN. A hub contains multiple ports. When a packet
arrives at one port, it is copied to the other ports so that network
all segments of the LAN can see all packets. A group of two or
more computer
systems linked
Switch together.
In networks, a device that filters and forwards packets
between LAN segments. Switches operate at the data MAC address
Short for Media
link layer (layer 2) and sometimes the network layer Access Control
(layer 3) of the OSI Reference Model and therefore address, a hardware
support any packet protocol. LANs that use switches to address that
uniquely identifies
join segments are called switched LANs or, in the case each node of a
of Ethernet networks, switched Ethernet LANs. network.

Router OSI
Short for Open
A device that forwards data packets along networks. A System
router is connected to at least two networks, commonly Interconnection, an
two LANs or WANs or a LAN and its ISP.s network. ISO standard for
worldwide
Routers are located at gateways, the places where two communications
or more networks connect. Routers use headers and that defines a
forwarding tables to determine the best path for networking
framework for
forwarding the packets, and they use protocols such as implementing
ICMP to communicate with each other and configure the protocols in seven
best route between any two hosts. layers.

The Differences Between These Devices on the Network

Today most routers have become something of a Swiss Army knife, combining the
features and functionality of a router and switch/hub into a single unit. So
conversations regarding these devices can be a bit misleading — especially to
someone new to computer networking.

The functions of a router, hub and a switch are all quite different from one another,
even if at times they are all integrated into a single device. Let's start with the hub
and the switch since these two devices have similar roles on the network. Each
serves as a central connection for all of your network equipment and handles a data
type known as frames. Frames carry your data. When a frame is received, it is
amplified and then transmitted on to the port of the destination PC. The big
difference between these two devices is in the method in which frames are being
delivered.

In a hub, a frame is passed along or "broadcast" to every one of its ports. It doesn't
matter that the frame is only destined for one port. The hub has no way of
distinguishing which port a frame should be sent to. Passing it along to every port
ensures that it will reach its intended destination. This places a lot of traffic on the
network and can lead to poor network response times.

Additionally, a 10/100Mbps hub must share its bandwidth with each and every one of
its ports. So when only one PC is broadcasting, it will have access to the maximum
available bandwidth. If, however, multiple PCs are broadcasting, then that bandwidth
will need to be divided among all of those systems, which will degrade performance.

A switch, however, keeps a record of the MAC addresses of all the devices
connected to it. With this information, a switch can identify which system is sitting on
which port. So when a frame is received, it knows exactly which port to send it to,
without significantly increasing network response times. And, unlike a hub, a
10/100Mbps switch will allocate a full 10/100Mbps to each of its ports. So regardless
of the number of PCs transmitting, users will always have access to the maximum
amount of bandwidth. It's for these reasons why a switch is considered to be a much
better choice then a hub.

Routers are completely different devices. Where a hub or switch is concerned with
transmitting frames, a router's job, as its name implies, is to route packets to other
networks until that packet ultimately reaches its destination. One of the key features
of a packet is that it not only contains data, but the destination address of where it's
going.

A router is typically connected to at least two networks, commonly two Local Area
Networks (LANs) or Wide Area Networks (WAN) or a LAN and its ISP's network . for
example, your PC or workgroup and EarthLink. Routers are located at gateways, the
places where two or more networks connect. Using headers and forwarding tables,
routers determine the best path for forwarding the packets. Router use protocols
such as ICMP to communicate with each other and configure the best route between
any two hosts.

Today, a wide variety of services are integrated into most broadband routers. A
router will typically include a 4 - 8 port Ethernet switch (or hub) and a Network
Address Translator (NAT). In addition, they usually include a Dynamic Host
Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, Domain Name Service (DNS) proxy server
and a hardware firewall to protect the LAN from malicious intrusion from the Internet.

All routers have a WAN Port that connects to a DSL or cable modem for broadband
Internet service and the integrated switch allows users to easily create a LAN. This
allows all the PCs on the LAN to have access to the Internet and Windows file and
printer sharing services.

Some routers have a single WAN port and a single LAN port and are designed to
connect an existing LAN hub or switch to a WAN. Ethernet switches and hubs can
be connected to a router with multiple PC ports to expand a LAN. Depending on the
capabilities (kinds of available ports) of the router and the switches or hubs, the
connection between the router and switches/hubs may require either straight-thru or
crossover (null-modem) cables. Some routers even have USB ports, and more
commonly, wireless access points built into them.
 Some of the more high-end or business class routers will also incorporate a serial
port that can be connected to an external dial-up modem, which is useful as a
backup in the event that the primary broadband connection goes down, as well as a
built in LAN printer server and printer port.

Besides the inherent protection features provided by the NAT, many routers will also
have a built-in, configurable, hardware-based firewall. Firewall capabilities can range
from the very basic to quite sophisticated devices. Among the capabilities found on
leading routers are those that permit configuring TCP/UDP ports for games, chat
services, and the like, on the LAN behind the firewall.

So, in short, a hub glues together an Ethernet network segment, a switch can
connect multiple Ethernet segments more efficiently and a router can do those
functions plus route TCP/IP packets between multiple LANs and/or WANs; and
much more of course.
Routers are also the only one of these devices that will allow you to share a single IP address
among multiple network clients.

All About Broadband/ICS Routers

Last updated August 28, 2009

A router is a device that forwards data packets Key Terms To

along networks. A router is connected to at Understanding Routers
least two networks, commonly two LANs or
WANs or a LAN and its ISP's network. Routers • router
are located at gateways, the places where two
or more networks connect, and are the critical • packet
device that keeps data flowing between • network
networks and keeps the networks connected • gateway
to the Internet. • header
• protocol
When data is sent between locations on one
network or from one network to a second • ICMP
network the data is always seen and directed • cable modem
to the correct location by the router. The router • ICS
accomplishes this by using headers and
forwarding tables to determine the best path Related Articles on
for forwarding the data packets, and they also Webopedia:
use protocols such as ICMP to communicate
with each other and configure the best route • Common Router
between any two hosts. Settings
• Routers, Switches
The Internet itself is a global network and Hubs: What's
connecting millions of computers and smaller the Difference?
networks — so you can see how crucial the
role of a router is to our way of communicating
• Windows XP
and computing.
Internet
Connection
Why Would I Need a Router? Sharing

For most home users, they may want to set-up

a LAN (local Area Network) or WLAN (wireless
LAN) and connect all computers to the Internet
without having to pay a full broadband
subscription service to their ISP for each
computer on the network. In many instances,
an ISP will allow you to use a router and
connect multiple computers to a single Internet
connection and pay a nominal fee for each
additional computer sharing the connection.
This is when home users will want to look at
smaller routers, often called broadband
routers that enable two or more computers to
share an Internet connection. Within a
business or organization, you may need to
connect multiple computers to the Internet, but
also want to connect multiple private networks
— and these are the types of functions a
router is designed for.

Routers for Home & Small Business

Not all routers are created equal since their job will differ slightly from network to
network. Additionally, you may look at a piece of hardware and not even realize it is
a router. What defines a router is not its shape, color, size or manufacturer, but its
job function of routing data packets between computers. A cable modem which
routes data between your PC and your ISP can be considered a router. In its most
basic form, a router could simply be one of two computers running the Windows 98
(or higher) operating system connected together using ICS (Internet Connection
Sharing). In this scenario, the computer that is connected to the Internet is acting as
the router for the second computer to obtain its Internet connection.

Going a step up from ICS, we have a category of hardware routers that are used to
perform the same basic task as ICS, albeit with more features and functions. Often
called broadband or Internet connection sharing routers, these routers allow you to
share one Internet connection between multiple computers.

This image shows the flow of data to multiple computers sharing one high speed Internet connection.
[Image Source]

Broadband or ICS routers will look a bit different depending on the manufacturer or
brand, but wired routers are generally a small box-shaped hardware device with
ports on the front or back into which you plug each computer, along with a port to
plug in your broadband modem. These connection ports allow the router to do its job
of routing the data packets between each of the the computers and the data going to
and from the Internet.

Depending on the type of modem and Internet connection you have, you could also
choose a router with phone or fax machine ports. A wired Ethernet broadband router
will typically have a built-in Ethernet switch to allow for expansion. These routers
also support NAT (network address translation), which allows all of your computers
to share a single IP address on the Internet. Internet connection sharing routers will
also provide users with much needed features such as an SPI firewall or serve as a
a DHCP Server.

Wired and Wireless Routers

Wireless broadband routers look much the same as a wired router, with the obvious
exception of the antenna on top, and the lack of cable running from the PCs to the
router when it is all set up. Creating a wireless network adds a bit more security
concerns as opposed to wired networks, but wireless broadband routers do have
extra levels of embedded security.

Along with the features found in wired routers, wireless routers also provide features
relevant to wireless security such as Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and wireless
MAC address filtering. Additionally, most wireless routers can be configured for
"invisible mode" so that your wireless network cannot be scanned by outside
wireless clients. Wireless routers will often include ports for Ethernet connections as
well. For those unfamiliar with WiFi and how it works, it is important to note that
choosing a wireless router may mean you need to beef up your Wi-Fi knowledge-
base. After a wireless network is established, you may possibly need to spend more
time on monitoring and security than one would with a wired LAN.

Wired and wireless routers and the resulting network can claim pros and cons over
each other, but they are somewhat equal overall in terms of function and
performance. Both wired and wireless routers have high reliability and reasonably
good security (without adding additional products). However —and this bears
repeating — as we mentioned you may need to invest time in learning more about
wireless security. Generally, going wired will be cheaper overall, but setting up the
router and cabling in the computers is a bit more difficult than setting up the wireless
network. Of course, mobility on a wired system is very limited while wireless offers
outstanding mobility features.

Are Routers Expensive?

Below is a sample price comparison of routers and expected features as well as

current pricing in U.S. dollars from online vendors found through PriceWatch in
August 2009.

Manufacturer Description /
ROUTER PORTS PRICE
Features

802.11g router offers wired and

wireless connections. Up to 54
NetGear
Mbps of wireless throughput.
WGR614
Four RJ-45 Ethernet ports allow
Wireless 4 $25
for wired connections to the
Cable/DSL
network. Includes a double
Router
firewall, WPA and 128-bit WEP
encryption
 Linksys
Internet-sharing Router with 4-
WRT110-
port switch and Wireless Access
RM Draft-N
Point. Much faster than
802.11N 4 $30
Wireless-G when connected to
Wireless
Wireless-N, but also works great
Broadband
with Wireless-G and -B devices
Router

Simply connect the Linksys

Linksys BEF-SR81 Wireless Router 8
EtherFast Port 10/100 Switch to your DSL
BEFSR81 8 or Cable Modem and all the $80
Broadband computers in your home or
Router office can share the Internet all
at the same time.

D-Link answers the need for a

D Link
Broadband VPN Router. The
Systems
DIR-130 is a simple-to-deploy
NetDefend 8 $90
routing VPN and firewall
VPN
solution designed specifically for
Firewall
the Small Office / Home Office

Today you can purchase a basic sub $90 broadband router that will enable you to
share your broadband Internet connection with multiple computers in your home or
small office. Before buying a router, however, you need to take into consideration
the type of Internet connect you have, and how many ports you will need for
individual computers, and of course, make the choice between wired or wireless. It is
always a good idea to purchase a router with extra ports in case you need to
connect additional computers at a later date.

You can also decide if your broadband router will be providing your PC security or if
you're going to purchase a separate hardware firewall for protection. If you are
thinking of purchasing a firewall in addition to a broadband router, you may want to
check out our recent article on software and hardware firewalls.

Mainframes (often colloquially referred to as Big Iron[1]) are computers used mainly
by large organizations for critical applications, typically bulk data processing such as
census, industry and consumer statistics, enterprise resource planning, and financial
transaction processing.

The term probably had originated from the early mainframes, as they were housed in
enormous, room-sized metal boxes or frames.[2] Later the term was used to distinguish
high-end commercial machines from less powerful units.

Today in practice, the term usually refers to computers compatible with the IBM
System/360 line, first introduced in 1965. (IBM System z10 is the latest incarnation.)
Otherwise, large systems that are not based on the System/360 but are used for similar
tasks are usually referred to as servers or even supercomputers. However, "server",
"supercomputer" and "mainframe" are not synonymous (see client-server).

Some non-System/360-compatible systems derived from or compatible with older

(pre-Web) server technology may also be considered mainframes. These include the
Burroughs large systems, the UNIVAC 1100/2200 series systems, and the pre-
System/360 IBM 700/7000 series. Most large-scale computer system architectures
were firmly established in the 1960s and most large computers were based on
architecture established during that era up until the advent of Web servers in the
1990s. (Interestingly, the first Web server running anywhere outside Switzerland ran
on an IBM mainframe at Stanford University as early as 1990. See History of the
World Wide Web for details.)

There were several minicomputer operating systems and architectures that arose in the
1970s and 1980s, but minicomputers are generally not considered mainframes. (UNIX
arose as a minicomputer operating system; Unix has scaled up over the years to
acquire some mainframe characteristics.)

A network switch is a computer networking device that connects network segments.

The term commonly refers to a Network bridge that processes and routes data at the
Data link layer (layer 2) of the OSI model. Switches that additionally process data at
the Network layer (layer 3 and above) are often referred to as Layer 3 switches or
Multilayer switches.

The term network switch does not generally encompass unintelligent or passive
network devices such as hubs and repeaters.

A mainframe (also known as "big iron") is a high-performance computer used for

large-scale computing purposes that require greater availability and security than a
smaller-scale machine can offer. Historically, mainframes have been associated with
centralized rather than distributed computing, although that distinction is blurring as
smaller computers become more powerful and mainframes become more multi-
purpose. Today, IBM emphasizes that their mainframes can be used to serve
distributed users and smaller servers in a computing network.

The mainframe is sometimes referred to as a "dinosaur" not only because of its size
but because of reports, going back many years, that it's becoming extinct. In 1991
Stewart Alsop, the editor of InfoWorld, predicted that the last mainframe would be
retired by 1996. However, in February 2008 IBM released a new mainframe, the z10.
Steve Lohr wrote about the mainframe as "the classic survivor technology" in The
New York Times ("Why old technologies are still kicking"):

I.B.M. overhauled the insides of the mainframe, using low-cost microprocessors as

the computing engine. The company invested and updated the mainframe software, so
that banks, corporations and government agencies could still rely on the mainframe as
the rock-solid reliable and secure computer for vital transactions and data, while
allowing it to take on new chores like running Web-based programs.

The original mainframes were housed in room-sized metal frames, which is probably
where the name derives from. In the past, a typical mainframe might have occupied
2,000 - 10,000 square feet. Newer mainframes are about the same size as a large
refrigerator.
A very large and expensive computer capable of supporting hundreds, or even thousands, of users simultaneously. In the hierarchy that starts with a simple microprocessor
(in watches, for example) at the bottom and moves to supercomputers at the top, mainframes are just below supercomputers. In some ways, mainframes are more powerful
than supercomputers because they support more simultaneous programs. But supercomputers can execute a single program faster than a mainframe. The distinction between
small mainframes and minicomputers is vague, depending really on how the manufacturer wants to market its machines.
A mainframe (also known as "big iron") is a high-performance computer used for large-scale computing purposes that require greater availability and security than a smaller-scale
machine can offer. Historically, mainframes have been associated with centralized rather than distributed computing, although that distinction is blurring as smaller computers
become more powerful and mainframes …

A network bridge connects multiple network segments at the data link layer (Layer 2) of the OSI model, and the term Layer 2

switch is very often used interchangeably with bridge. Bridges are similar to repeaters or network hubs, devices that connect network

segments at thephysical layer; however, with bridging, traffic from one network is managed rather than simply rebroadcast to adjacent

network segments. In Ethernet networks, the term "bridge" formally means a device that behaves according to the IEEE 802.1D standard

—this is most often referred to as a network switch in marketing literature.[citation needed]

Bridges tend to be more complex than hubs or repeaters. Bridges can analyze incoming data packets to determine if the bridge is able to

send the given packet to another segment of the network.

Since bridging takes place at the data link layer of the OSI model, a bridge processes the information from each frame of data it receives.

In anEthernet frame, this provides the MAC address of the frame's source and destination. Bridges use two methods to resolve the

network segment that a MAC address belongs to.

 Transparent bridging — This method uses a forwarding database to send frames across network segments. The

forwarding database is initially empty and entries in the database are built as the bridge receives frames. If an address entry is not

found in the forwarding database, the frame is rebroadcast to all ports of the bridge, forwarding the frame to all segments except

the source address. By means of these broadcast frames, the destination network will respond and a route will be created. Along

with recording the network segment to which a particular frame is to be sent, bridges may also record a bandwidth metric to avoid

looping when multiple paths are available. Devices that have this transparent bridging functionality are also known as adaptive

bridges. They are primarily found in Ethernet networks.

 Source route bridging — With source route bridging two frame types are used in order to find the route to the destination

network segment. Single-Route (SR) frames make up most of the network traffic and have set destinations, while All-Route (AR)

frames are used to find routes. Bridges send AR frames by broadcasting on all network branches; each step of the followed route is

registered by the bridge performing it. Each frame has a maximum hop count, which is determined to be greater than

the diameter of the network graph, and is decremented by each bridge. Frames are dropped when this hop count reaches zero, to

avoid indefinite looping of AR frames. The first AR frame which reaches its destination is considered to have followed the best

route, and the route can be used for subsequent SR frames; the other AR frames are discarded. This method of locating a

destination network can allow for indirect load balancing among multiple bridges connecting two networks. The more a bridge is

loaded, the less likely it is to take part in the route finding process for a new destination as it will be slow to forward packets. A new

AR packet will find a different route over a less busy path if one exists. This method is very different from transparent bridge

usage, where redundant bridges will be inactivated; however, more overhead is introduced to find routes, and space is wasted to

store them in frames. A switch with a faster backplane can be just as good for performance, if not for fault tolerance. They are

primarily found in Token Ring networks.

Repeaters, Bridges, Routers, and Gateways

Network Repeater

A repeater connects two segments of your network cable. It retimes and regenerates
the signals to proper amplitudes and sends them to the other segments. When talking
about, ethernet topology, you are probably talking about using a hub as a repeater.
Repeaters require a small amount of time to regenerate the signal. This can cause a
propagation delay which can affect network communication when there are several
repeaters in a row. Many network architectures limit the number of repeaters that can
be used in a row. Repeaters work only at the physical layer of the OSI network
model.

Bridge

A bridge reads the outermost section of data on the data packet, to tell where the
message is going. It reduces the traffic on other network segments, since it does not
send all packets. Bridges can be programmed to reject packets from particular
networks. Bridging occurs at the data link layer of the OSI model, which means the
bridge cannot read IP addresses, but only the outermost hardware address of the
packet. In our case the bridge can read the ethernet data which gives the hardware
address of the destination address, not the IP address. Bridges forward all broadcast
messages. Only a special bridge called a translation bridge will allow two networks of
different architectures to be connected. Bridges do not normally allow connection of
networks with different architectures. The hardware address is also called the MAC
(media access control) address. To determine the network segment a MAC address
belongs to, bridges use one of:

• Transparent Bridging - They build a table of addresses (bridging table) as they

receive packets. If the address is not in the bridging table, the packet is
forwarded to all segments other than the one it came from. This type of bridge
is used on ethernet networks.
• Source route bridging - The source computer provides path information inside
the packet. This is used on Token Ring networks.

Network Router
A router is used to route data packets between two networks. It reads the information in each packet to tell where it is going. If it is destined for an
immediate network it has access to, it will strip the outer packet, readdress the packet to the proper ethernet address, and transmit it on that network.
If it is destined for another network and must be sent to another router, it will re-package the outer packet to be received by the next router and send
it to the next router. The section on routing explains the theory behind this and how routing tables are used to help determine packet destinations.
Routing occurs at the network layer of the OSI model. They can connect networks with different architectures such as Token Ring and Ethernet.
Although they can transform information at the data link level, routers cannot transform information from one data format such as TCP/IP to
another such as IPX/SPX. Routers do not send broadcast packets or corrupted packets. If the routing table does not indicate the proper address of a
packet, the packet is discarded.

Brouter
There is a device called a brouter which will function similar to a bridge for network transport protocols that are not routable, and will function as a
router for routable protocols. It functions at the network and data link layers of the OSI network model.

Gateway
A gateway can translate information between different network data formats or network architectures. It can translate TCP/IP to AppleTalk so
computers supporting TCP/IP can communicate with Apple brand computers. Most gateways operate at the application layer, but can operate at the
network or session layer of the OSI model. Gateways will start at the lower level and strip information until it gets to the required level and
repackage the information and work its way back toward the hardware layer of the OSI model. To confuse issues, when talking about a router that
is used to interface to another network, the word gateway is often used. This does not mean the routing machine is a gateway as defined here,
although it could be.
A network gateway is an internetworking system capable of joining together two networks that use different base protocols. A network gateway
can be implemented completely in software, completely in hardware, or as a combination of both. Depending on the types of protocols they support,
network gateways can operate at any level of the OSI model.
Because a network gateway, by definition, appears at the edge of a network, related capabilities like firewalls tend to be integrated with it. On home
networks, a broadband router typically serves as the network gateway although ordinary computers can also be configured to perform equivalent
functions