Home Education What is the Network hub? Working and its Types

What is the Network hub? Working and its Types

Simply, Network Hub is a device which receives data frames from senders and send or you can say repeat it to the receivers. It has several ports to communicate. It is a half-duplex device, that means at a time only one device can send or receive data.

In this article, we will know the working and types of networking device Hub.

Content

What is the Network Hub?

Network-Hub
  • Network Hub is a non-intelligent networking device which works in the physical layer.
  • It is a half-duplex device.
  • It can’t store MAC address. So that it always broadcast the data all over the network.
  • It can send or receives electrical signals as well as bits.
  •  It is a Local Area Network (LAN) Device. We can use it only for Local Area Networking.
  • It has a single collision domain. That means it has one path for communication. If at a time two or more device sending the data then there must be a chance of collision of data with each other. It will lead to data loss.

Working of the Network Hub

  • We know that it is a connector device between two communication devices. It has a 2/4/8 number of ports to connect with it.
  • Suppose there are 5 computers (a, b, c, d and f) connected with the networking device Hub.
  • We know that Hub is not an intelligent device. Because it always broadcast the data.
  • For example, one device of that network ‘a’ sends data to another device ‘b’ with the help of Hub. Then Hub will broadcast the data to every connected device of that network.
  • After that, all the computer checks the IP address of that data frames and take action, like if the IP address match then the device will accept the data frame. Otherwise, it will reject the data.
  • So, here only device ‘b’ will accept the data frame and others will reject it.
  • Hence, the data is broadcasting to every device, any of the devices can manipulate the data. So, here security is low.
  • Here, all the communication will be done in Half-Duplex. That means if computer ‘a’ sending data to computer-‘d’. At the same time computer-‘d’ can’t send any data to ‘a’ or any other computers in that network.
  • Simply, at a time a sender can only send a data and a receiver can only receive that data.
  • So, at the time of communication between computer ‘a’ and ‘d’, other computers will remain silent.
  • Also, in the hub, there is a single collision domain, which means there is a single way to enter and out from the hub.
  • So, if at a time two or more computer sending data then there will be a chance of colliding those data with each other. It may lead to data loss.
  • So, we use this networking device to establish a network in a local area. 
  • Because in this networking device there is no security for which we can’t use it for the Wide Area Network (WAN).
  • During the communication process, this device can’t store the MAC address. So, every time this device has to broadcast the data.

Types of Network Hub

HUB

It is of three types: –

  • Active Hub
  • Passive Hub
  • Intelligent Hub

Active hub

  • The Active hub is quite similar to Passive hub. But in an active hub, there is a repeater and amplifier which repeat and amplify the data or signals.
  • Because of repeater and amplifier, we can increase the distance between two devices.
  • The active hub also amplifies the noise along with the signals. So, you can say it is a drawback of the active hub.
  • The active hub is not cost-effective.

Passive Hub

  • In a passive hub, there is no repeater and amplifier. So that it can’t repeat or amplify the data or signals.
  • It reduces the distance of communication because of no data amplification and repetition.
  • Noise amplification will not happen in this type of hub. because there is no amplifier used in it.
  • The Passive hub is cost-effective.

Intelligent Hub

  • This type of hub manages the network.
  • It has the capability of Bridging. That means it inspect the traffic of a network.
  • It also has the capability of Routing. Which means we can communicate with other networks.
  • Also, it can do the work of Switch. It can send data without collision.
  • We can say it is a combination of Active and Passive hub.

USB hub

usb-hub
  • It is a device which gives access to multiple devices to connect with a single USB port. With this hub, we can connect multiple USB devices to a computer. 
  • For example, in a Laptop, there are 3 USB ports where we can connect any type of USB devices. But if we want to increase the number of connections. Then, with the help of a USB hub, we can do this.
  • We can connect any type of USB devices like your Computer Keyboard, Mouse, Pen drive or external hard drive, External DVD reader, etc.

Difference between Network Hub and Switch

  • Hub is not an intelligent device where Switch is much more intelligent then Hub.
  • Hub always broadcast the signals to all over the network. But in case of Switch, it broadcast only for one time.
  • Security is low in Hub due to broadcasting. But in Switch security is high.
  • Hub doesn’t have any storage device so that Hub can’t able to store any type of data like MAC address of individual devices.
  • But in case of Switch, it has a storage device where it maintains a Content Accessible Memory (CAM) table and records the port number and MAC address of individual connected devices.
  • Hub works in a bus topology where Switch works in a mesh topology.
  • Hub has a single collision domain for which chance of data collision is high. But in Switch, there are multiple collision domains which lower the chance of data collision.
  • Hub communicates in half-duplex for which at a time only one computer can send or receive data. Also, if one computer is communicating at that time other computers will remain silent.
  • But in case of Switch, every device or computer has its path to communicate with other connected computers.
  • Hub works in the physical layer where Switch works in the data link layer.

Difference between Network Hub and Router

  • Hub is a networking device. But Router is an internetworking device.
  • We use Hub to establish local-area networking in a small area. Where the Router is used for wide-area networking.
  • For example, Hub is used to communicate between several computers in a local area. But with the help of a Router, we can communicate with another network of another place.
  • Hub works in physical layer and Router works in the network layer.
  • In every port of the Router has its broadcast domain.
  • The router maintains its routing table. But Hub has not any storage to maintain any kind of data table.
Difference between the Hub, Switch and Router

Also know about what is Network Components ?

FAQs

What is the function of a hub?

Hub is a non-intelligent networking device which works in the physical layer.
It is a half-duplex device.
It can’t store MAC address. So that it always broadcast the data all over the network. It can send or receives electrical signals as well as bits.

What is the difference between a network hub and switch?

Hub is not an intelligent device where Switch is much more intelligent then Hub.
Hub always broadcast the signals to all over the network. But in case of Switch, it broadcast only for one time.
Security is low in Hub due to broadcasting. But in Switch security is high.
Hub doesn’t have any storage device so that Hub can’t able to store any type of data like MAC address of individual devices.

What is the difference between a switch and a hub?

Hub works in a bus topology where Switch works in a mesh topology.
Hub has a single collision domain for which chance of data collision is high. But in Switch, there are multiple collision domains which lower the chance of data collision.
Hub communicates in half-duplex for which at a time only one computer can send or receive data. Also, if one computer is communicating at that time other computers will remain silent.

Always give your 100 per cent in your work… unless you’re donating blood.

Akhil Mondal
Always give your 100 per cent in your work… unless you’re donating blood.
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