Whats the difference between a router, switch and a hub?
- Thread starter TheLeviathan
- Start date
Router does the job of giving direction of where to go ie how to get to yahoo.com or etc.. tells you which exit to go to get to wherever you want to go..
Switch is like your own private highway to yahoo.com, like lanes to all the computer
Hub is like a share lane, so if a lot of car is there, it slows down..
Switch is like your own private highway to yahoo.com, like lanes to all the computer
Hub is like a share lane, so if a lot of car is there, it slows down..
<< Router does the job of giving direction of where to go ie how to get to yahoo.com or etc >>
No, that's DNS. A router tells which data packets can go to which machines. It can be used to separate different parts of a network into segments, among other things.
<< Switch is like your own private highway to yahoo.com >>
No, a switch connects mutiple computers together (like a hub) and dedicates full network bandwidth to each 2-machine connection.
A hub connects multiple computers together but network bandwidth is shared among all connections.
At least that's the way I understand it.
...uh..ok...then which is better for dsl/cable to network a few machines at home? Now I have the Linksys network in a box. I think it uses a switch(?). It's the "EZXS55W 5-port workgroup switch". Will that be ok for hooking in dsl/cable? I have 56k dial-up now and am planning on going broadband soon. Should I get a router instead, from what very little I know, the router is more secure?
LOL
a Router is a Layer 3 device, basically most router works is "smart" direct data packets into different comptuers/ end station. Hence the world ROUTE.
Think of it as a 2 way funnel, data goes in and out using one "mask" IP, and go goes in and out and vice vesa...
A switch is basically a device which gives each computer a seperate network domain, but in the same collusion domain. There are 2 types of switch, the enterprise grade "managed" switch which cost thousands and thousand of dollars, and regular "unmanaged" switch which you can buy at Frys. All it is is that instead of like a Hub when all it is is basically a repeater, a switch will actually have full decitated bandwidth to the 2 computer in connection. (when you're transfering files from one computer to another.)
Also, a switch also works at "Full Dulplex", meaning that you have a max therotical bandwidth of 200mbits (100 up and 100 down AT THE SAME TIME).
A device connected into a hub shares the same network domain and the same collusion domain, basically when a comptuer on a hub sends something, the hub basically repeats it to all it's ports.. therefore, when 2 computer send something.. the bandwidth drops to 1/2 of it's full.. and when 3, 1/3, 4, 1/4.. etc etc.. you get the idea.
a Router is a Layer 3 device, basically most router works is "smart" direct data packets into different comptuers/ end station. Hence the world ROUTE.
Think of it as a 2 way funnel, data goes in and out using one "mask" IP, and go goes in and out and vice vesa...
A switch is basically a device which gives each computer a seperate network domain, but in the same collusion domain. There are 2 types of switch, the enterprise grade "managed" switch which cost thousands and thousand of dollars, and regular "unmanaged" switch which you can buy at Frys. All it is is that instead of like a Hub when all it is is basically a repeater, a switch will actually have full decitated bandwidth to the 2 computer in connection. (when you're transfering files from one computer to another.)
Also, a switch also works at "Full Dulplex", meaning that you have a max therotical bandwidth of 200mbits (100 up and 100 down AT THE SAME TIME).
A device connected into a hub shares the same network domain and the same collusion domain, basically when a comptuer on a hub sends something, the hub basically repeats it to all it's ports.. therefore, when 2 computer send something.. the bandwidth drops to 1/2 of it's full.. and when 3, 1/3, 4, 1/4.. etc etc.. you get the idea.
I used a Linksys switch to handle my cable connection to my home net (3 machines). Used Sygate software to share the connection and it provided firewall protection. Worked fine, but that required that the machine running Sygate (or ICS or whatever)be on for others to access the Web. I switched to the SMC Barricade router with print server. Don't need connection sharing software anymore, firewall built into router, and any machine can get to the net or printer at any time without requiring another machine to be running.
Thanks everyone! So I get that my switch will work for me but one box has to run all the time for internet sharing(like it does now) and with a router it wont have to. Then does that mean that the ISP will "see" that I have more than one box online at a time? Or that I have different computers online from the same IP address? Does the router get the IP from the ISP and then hide the rest of the LAN?
yes,
you are correct in a way. your router will get the incoming IP address from your ISP. your IP address however doesnt have to stop there. your IP can continue to your box. your IP will stop at the router if you are using NAT, Network Address Translation. NAT uses internal private IP's. i like NAT. if you have 1 computer connected to the network one inbound IP is all well and good. its when you start to have multiple boxes needing IP's, and IP's are expensive. NAT uses 192.168.xxx.xxx IP's. These are only behind firewalls. also behind a well configured firewall this can add security against script kiddies. the one bad thing is that you cannot run any services such as an ftp or website because the incoming request doesnt know where to go for the data. however you can do most anything you want if its an outbound request like using Napster or play online games because you make the connection first and the connection will remain static as long as you are connected. you might be able to use DHCP through your firewall, i know the Linksys broadband router/switch can do this. also you can create static connections so that you can run services, but remember this will create some insecurities. if you really want to a linux box with 2 or 3 network cards can handle your routing, NAT, and firewall.
hope this helps
john
you are correct in a way. your router will get the incoming IP address from your ISP. your IP address however doesnt have to stop there. your IP can continue to your box. your IP will stop at the router if you are using NAT, Network Address Translation. NAT uses internal private IP's. i like NAT. if you have 1 computer connected to the network one inbound IP is all well and good. its when you start to have multiple boxes needing IP's, and IP's are expensive. NAT uses 192.168.xxx.xxx IP's. These are only behind firewalls. also behind a well configured firewall this can add security against script kiddies. the one bad thing is that you cannot run any services such as an ftp or website because the incoming request doesnt know where to go for the data. however you can do most anything you want if its an outbound request like using Napster or play online games because you make the connection first and the connection will remain static as long as you are connected. you might be able to use DHCP through your firewall, i know the Linksys broadband router/switch can do this. also you can create static connections so that you can run services, but remember this will create some insecurities. if you really want to a linux box with 2 or 3 network cards can handle your routing, NAT, and firewall.
hope this helps
john
A workgroup switch ? Some manuf. have problems in naming the product, so you can have a 10/100 switch-a-ble hub instead of a real switch, which give higher troughput on haevy demands. Your DSL connection does not get to this higher broadband demands so even a 10Mbit hub will do the trick for you. (using a DSL router)
A router does give a more stable connection with normally higher troughput this because of the NAT (network address table) or RIP protocol for exchange this info(which are divided in different versions). Some ISP are not to fond of connecting a router on a dailup account because it can take quite some broadband.
In your case I think a DSL -Router would be overkill, but nevertheless would be nice to share this connection on a better stable basis then internet sharing by microsoft.
It is also a lot easier.
Hope this was additional info.
Do not think your are safe with a router, hackers can still probe your ports on the machine. They only have no direct access to your LAN, but still to the PC's if they have no closed ports. You can check this on site: http://grc.com
Be shocked !!!
A router does give a more stable connection with normally higher troughput this because of the NAT (network address table) or RIP protocol for exchange this info(which are divided in different versions). Some ISP are not to fond of connecting a router on a dailup account because it can take quite some broadband.
In your case I think a DSL -Router would be overkill, but nevertheless would be nice to share this connection on a better stable basis then internet sharing by microsoft.
It is also a lot easier.
Hope this was additional info.
Do not think your are safe with a router, hackers can still probe your ports on the machine. They only have no direct access to your LAN, but still to the PC's if they have no closed ports. You can check this on site: http://grc.com
Be shocked !!!
Man, there is a lot of misinformation floating around.
If you use NAT and have no static NAT (port forwarding) configured, there is no way in heck an outside host can even reach an inside host.
router - device used to route PACKETS between different media types. works at L3.
switch - device used within same broadcast domain to switch L2 FRAMES base on L2 address.
hub - device used to "repeat" electrical signal received on its ports.
check here for more info on sharing broadband...
thread
also
practicallynetworked.com
If you use NAT and have no static NAT (port forwarding) configured, there is no way in heck an outside host can even reach an inside host.
router - device used to route PACKETS between different media types. works at L3.
switch - device used within same broadcast domain to switch L2 FRAMES base on L2 address.
hub - device used to "repeat" electrical signal received on its ports.
check here for more info on sharing broadband...
thread
also
practicallynetworked.com
vOltaGe wrote:
the one bad thing is that you cannot run any services such as an ftp or website because the incoming request doesnt know where to go for the data.
Per what spidey07 mentions about "port-fowarding", you surely can run services on internal machines with reserved (non-routable) IPs... I do just that for FTP, chat, Web, etc. The key is securing those internal machines since the data requests bypass your firewall and hit a machine that might not be as secure...
And spidey07 wrote:
router - device used to route PACKETS between different media types. works at L3.
It's usually defined as moving data between 2 networks, which would clearly distinguish it from a bridge that connects segments on the same network.
the one bad thing is that you cannot run any services such as an ftp or website because the incoming request doesnt know where to go for the data.
Per what spidey07 mentions about "port-fowarding", you surely can run services on internal machines with reserved (non-routable) IPs... I do just that for FTP, chat, Web, etc. The key is securing those internal machines since the data requests bypass your firewall and hit a machine that might not be as secure...
And spidey07 wrote:
router - device used to route PACKETS between different media types. works at L3.
It's usually defined as moving data between 2 networks, which would clearly distinguish it from a bridge that connects segments on the same network.
WOW! Thanks for all the info. It's obvious to me that I need to do massive research on networking because I was a little confused when I started this and now, well, I really need to do some more research. I am planning on taking some night classes at the local Community Collage this next semester for networking as my day job sucks and I want to do something "IT". If nothing else I think it would be interesting to know alot more about this. Thanks everyone!
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