simply, a hub needs more than 1 ip for mre than 1 computer...each computer needs a new IP...a hub, however, uses 1 ip and gives as many computers as it can handle a new IP...saving you money! i have 3 computers, and 1 router. instead of buying 2 new IP's, i bought myself a router. now all of these are 192.168.1.xxx and the router has the IP my ISP gave me. this is kinda cheating, but it really isnt in anyway. so id say if you were gonna get 1 of the 2, get a router =)