What's a Difference Between a Router, Switch, and a HUB ??

[isekii]

Okay.. I just got a new Lappy today..

and I have cable modem service via DHCP and dynamic IP address.. ( but basically permanent since my cable modem is always on )

I wanna be able to run both my main pc and my lappy at the same time..

how would I go about doing this ??

Would you recommend a Hub?? Switch ?? a Router??

also .. any performance difference ??

please let me know

thank You ..

 

[Emulex]

you want one of those little routers all in one with a couple of switched/hub'd ports built in.

 

[MrBond]

The guys over in the networking forum would probably know

 

[Viper GTS]

Router = Translates from one network to another, in your context from a public to a private address
Hub = Re-broadcasts received information on all ports, without regard to device
Switch = Smart hub, learns by MAC address which device is where & routes packets directly to their destination, thus reducing collisions

You will most likely need a router, unless the IP address you get from your cable modem is a private address.

If your cable "modem" is actually a router, you'll need either a hub or a switch. A switch is better, but costs more & won't be an improvement with only a few systems connected.

Viper GTS

 

[Ameesh]

a router will allow you to use one internet vconnection with multiple pcs . in a normal cas you plug your cable modem into your router and your routrt into a switch/hub, then you plug in your computers into your switch/hub and violioa you have a home network the difference between a switch and a hub is that a hub shares one data bus where a switch will give you thye full connection speed on each port so if you get a hub in the above scenario your pc and laptop will both get a 5 mbit connection vs a switch which will give both a 10mbit connection (theoritically, i know this isnt a reality thing but thats good enough for the explanantion)

 

[Ameesh]

i knew youd beat me to it viper!

 

[hungrypete]

<< Router = Translates from one network to another, in your context from a public to a private address
Hub = Re-broadcasts received information on all ports, without regard to device
Switch = Smart hub, learns by MAC address which device is where & routes packets directly to their destination, thus reducing collisions
Viper GTS >>



nice summary! If only the networking intructors could put it so simply

 

[busmaster11]

<<

<< Router = Translates from one network to another, in your context from a public to a private address
Hub = Re-broadcasts received information on all ports, without regard to device
Switch = Smart hub, learns by MAC address which device is where & routes packets directly to their destination, thus reducing collisions
Viper GTS >>



nice summary! If only the networking intructors could put it so simply >>




In this context a router would probably be a router switch too... If your cable modem is also a router, all you need is a 40 dollar switch to connect your two machines. Otherwise, assuming your cable modem is standalone (ie connects via ethernet) get a consumer router, which is easy to install... It will translate an internet hard-coded IP or a DHCP given IP into internal IPs for any dhcp clients you plug into it...

 

[LAUST]

What OS is your main machine? and do you leave it on all the time?? I have my Cable Modem come in on my PC through USB and out to a Switch that my laptop and my GF's PC plugs into and I just use the gateway function built into windows 2000. A hub would be fine also since it's just home use is all, but Switches are very cheap now also, so I just went that way.

 

[isekii]

I am running win2k pro with the Toshiba P1100UX or something ..

and it's connected via Ethernet..

 

[d0ofy]

I have RR also in NYC, using the same modem as you. I use a Linksys 4 port broadband router. It works perfectly fine. You can also use the SMC router that's cheaper. I have a Win2k and WinNT connected to it. Along with the shared internet connection, files can be shared between the two with minimal setup.

 

[isekii]

sweet..

my lappy is running Windows ME ... ( POS ) and I think i'm gonna change it to Win2k..

Upon starting it and setting it up.. I started out with a program error GO FIGURE>..

I'll check on those routers..