Everything You Need to Know About Ethernet Hubs

An Ethernet hub allows you to connect multiple devices and share information from a LAN (Local Area Network) device with others. Once it receives data, it sends it to all other devices connected to the hub, ensuring that the data transfer does not fail.

And when too many PCs are connected to an Ethernet hub, its performance degrades.

Read on, and we'll delve into the details of how hubs work, what they do, and more.

What is an Ethernet Hub?

Before we delve into hubs, it's worth clarifying that Ethernet hubs, Ethernet switches, and Ethernet routers are different devices that are often confused. Each has its specific function and is suited for different purposes.

We'll set that aside for the moment, and just talk very briefly about how an Ethernet hub works.

An Ethernet hub, upon receiving data, aids in transmitting it from one device to another. As such, hubs are often used as a connection point for all devices in a data network.

An Ethernet hub has multiple ports, and each segment of the LAN can see every packet, because when a port receives a packet, it is forwarded to all the other ports.

When an Ethernet hub receives a packet, it has no idea where to send it, so it sends it to all ports, thus ensuring that the packet will reach its destination.

It works, and efficiently, but at the cost of a lot of network traffic, since each node is deluged with a lot of unnecessary data.

## Types of Ethernet Hubs and Their Uses ### Part 2 An Ethernet hub is a networking device used to connect multiple devices to the same network. Although modern networks typically employ switches instead of hubs, understanding the types and uses of hubs can still provide insight into the evolution of network infrastructure. Here are some common types of Ethernet hubs: 1. **Basic Bridging Hub** - The basic hub is the simplest form, placing all connected devices in the same collision domain. This means that when two devices attempt to send data simultaneously, a collision occurs, resulting in lost packets. 2. **Intelligent Hub** - An intelligent hub adds management and monitoring capabilities, providing port statistics, error detection, and port speed configuration. While more advanced than a basic hub, it still does not address the issue of collision domains. 3. **Stackable Hub** - Stackable hubs allow users to expand the number of ports by physically stacking multiple hubs, creating a single manageable entity. This enhances flexibility, but all ports remain within the same collision domain. 4. **Managed Hub** - A managed hub offers advanced management and configuration options, including VLAN support, QoS settings, and remote access control. Designed to improve network performance and security, these hubs tend to be more expensive. 5. **Fast Ethernet Hub** - Fast Ethernet hubs support data transfer rates of 100Mbps, a significant improvement over earlier 10Mbps hubs. However, they still share bandwidth among all ports and have collision domain issues. 6. **Gigabit Ethernet Hub** - Gigabit Ethernet hubs provide a transmission rate of 1000Mbps, further boosting network performance. Like Fast Ethernet hubs, they also face shared bandwidth and collision domain challenges. The primary uses of Ethernet hubs include: - **Network Expansion** - Hubs can extend network interfaces when more devices need to be connected but there aren't enough ports available. - **Temporary Solutions** - Hubs can offer quick connectivity in emergency situations or as temporary network infrastructure. - **Educational and Laboratory Settings** - In teaching environments, hubs help students understand network infrastructure and concepts related to collision domains. It's worth noting that because hubs share bandwidth among all ports and can lead to decreased network performance, contemporary network designs favor switches, which provide dedicated bandwidth to each device and minimize collisions.

There are three types of Ethernet hubs: intelligent hubs, active hubs, and passive hubs.

• Active Hub: An active hub amplifies the incoming signal's data packets and acts as a repeater. Additionally, you can configure an active hub to function as a firewall, monitoring the packets it receives. If the received signal is too weak to rebroadcast, an active network hub facilitates resynchronization.
• Intelligent Hub: An intelligent hub has the same functions as an active hub but also supports remote management.
• Passive Hub: Passive hubs operate in contrast to active and intelligent hubs. They do not amplify incoming signals or enhance LAN performance; instead, they limit the maximum transmission distance.

## What is the purpose of an Ethernet Hub? An Ethernet hub, also referred to as a network hub, is a device employed in computer networks to interconnect multiple devices and facilitate communication between them. It serves as a central connection point for Ethernet-enabled devices, such as computers, printers, and routers. The primary function of an Ethernet hub is to receive data packets from one device and redistribute them to all other connected devices. When a device sends data over the network, the hub captures the signal, duplicates it, and broadcasts it to every port, regardless of whether the data is specifically intended for that device or not. This method is known as "broadcasting." Here are some essential aspects of Ethernet hubs: 1. **Bandwidth Sharing:** All devices attached to the hub share the same bandwidth. If multiple devices transmit data simultaneously, collisions can occur, leading to decreased network performance. 2. **Unintelligent Connectivity:** Hubs do not process data or perform error checking. They operate at the physical layer (Layer 1) of the OSI Model, meaning they have no understanding of the transmitted data or the network structure. 3. **Limited Error Handling:** Upon detecting a collision using Collision Detection (CD), hubs identify the issue and prompt devices to retransmit the data. However, they do not assist in resolving the collision or improving network conditions. 4. **Less Secure:** As data is broadcast to all connected devices, Ethernet hubs offer less security compared to switches, which send data only to the designated recipient. With the rise of Ethernet switches, hubs have become less popular. Switches provide improved performance by forwarding data based on MAC addresses, assigning dedicated bandwidth to each connection, and minimizing collisions. Nonetheless, hubs are still utilized in certain situations, particularly in small, low-bandwidth networks or for educational purposes where monitoring network traffic is required.

An Ethernet hub helps connect multiple LAN devices. Its sole function is to send information from one port to all the other ports connected to the Ethernet hub.

There are a few drawbacks to using an Ethernet hub, but they probably won't matter much in a small office or home setting.

Second, an Ethernet hub shares its bandwidth among all its ports; thus, when many machines are sending traffic simultaneously, performance can become a problem, with each port receiving less bandwidth and experiencing a slowdown.

What's the difference between an Ethernet hub, an Ethernet switch, and an Ethernet router?

With an Ethernet hub, you can connect multiple PCs to a single network and broadcast data signals to all connected computers. An Ethernet hub doesn't require a MAC address because it's a simple device that broadcasts data signals to all connected devices.

On the other hand, an Ethernet switch forwards data to specific MAC addresses that share a single LAN. Using a CAM table, it can distinguish different addresses and keep track of MAC addresses.

Ethernet switches are more expensive than hubs and support only PCs, not servers, which is why they are not used in large enterprises. Their consumer market is small offices that need help building a network infrastructure.

Ethernet routers are an indispensable part of our daily lives, enabling the browsing activities on our smartphones and computers that we take for granted.

A router receives a signal from an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and transmits it to wireless devices using antennas.

A few downsides to a router are its range and internet speed. If you're close to the router, you'll have a strong signal. If you're far from the router, the signal will likely weaken, and your internet speed will decrease.

Routers come at various price points, with more expensive models generally offering more advanced technology, more features, and greater range.

Last Words

An Ethernet hub is an excellent device for transmitting data signals from one computer to another. It's affordable; however, purchasing an Ethernet hub may not seem like a wise decision in a business environment. For small offices or home setups, an Ethernet hub can transmit information between devices connected to it.

Another problem with Ethernet hubs is that they require a lot of bandwidth, and they slow down when many computers connected to them are forwarding data packets.

We hope this article has helped you understand Ethernet hubs and how they differ from switches.