In Hub signal
introduced at the input of any port appears at the output of every port except the original incoming. The device is a form of multiport repeater.
|
Network switch is a telecommunication device
which receives a message from any device connected to it and then transmits the message only to the device for which the message was meant. This makes the switch a more intelligent device than a hub
|
A router looks at
packet headers to determine which port it needs to forward a packet through, and also will translate packets between different protocols if needed. A router can also define subnets and will filter traffic as needed. Routers usually include DHCP, port forwarding capabilities and a whole host of other
things usually controlled by software and therefore user customizable.
|
A Hub is, in its
simplest form, just like a mains multi plug unit. There is no intelligence or circuitry in it. More complex units may incorporate an amplifier or repeater. The network signal goes into one port and out of all the others.
|
A Switch has a
small level of intelligence, in that it can open a message, check the IP address, and direct the message packets to the port on which the device with that IP address resides. It cannot modify IP addresses or see addresses outside of the range of the ‘home’ network
|
A Router can read
IP addresses, and direct the messages to another network with different IP
addresses to the originating network. The Router software can build up an
address table, so that it ‘knows’ where other devices are.
|
