Difference Between Hub And Switch

What Is A Hub?

A network hub is a device that allows multiple computers to communicate with each other over a network. It has several Ethernet ports that are used to connect two or more network devices together. Each computer or device connected to the hub can communicate with any other device connected to one of the hub’s Ethernet ports.

Unlike a network switch or router, a network hub has no routing tables or intelligence on where to send information and broadcasts all network data across each connection. Most hubs can detect basic network errors, such as collisions, but having all information broadcast to multiple ports is a security risk and cause bottlenecks. In the past, network hubs were popular because they were cheaper than a switch or router. Today, switches do not cost much more than a hub and are a much better solution for any network.

What You Need To Know About Switch

• Hub uses broadcast type of transmission.
• Hub sends data in the form of binary bits.
• Hub works in the physical layer of OSI Model.
• Hubs are connected to the system via the half-duplex connection.
• The number of ports in hubs is between 4 and 24.
• It transfers data to all the connected ports.
• Only one device can send data at a time.
• Less expensive than switch.
• In hub, Packet filtering is not provided.
• Hub does not use software and hence it is not an intelligent device.
• Its speed it up to 10 Mbps.
• Hub cannot be used as a repeater.
• Hub has a single collision domain.
• It is a passive device.

What Is Switch?

A switch is a hardware device that filters and forwards packets from one networking device (switch, router, printer, computer, server, etc) to another. In other words, a network switch connects devices in a network to each other and allows them to communicate by exchanging data packets. Switches can be hardware devices that manage physical networks, as well as software-based virtual devices.

Switches form the vast majority of network devices in modern data networks. They provide the wired connections to desktop computers, wireless access points, industrial machinery and some internet of things (IoT) devices such as card entry systems. They connect the computers that host virtual machines (VMs) in data centers, as well as the physical servers, and much of the storage infrastructure. They carry vast amounts of traffic in telecommunications provider networks.

A network switch operates on the network layer 2 of the OSI model. In a local area network (LAN) using Ethernet, a network switch determines where to send each incoming message frame by looking at the physical device address (or MAC address). Switches maintain tables that match each MAC address, to the port which the MAC address is received.

What You Need To Know About Switch

• Switches use Unicast, Multicast as well as broadcast type of transmission.
• The switch sends data in the form of frames and packets.  
• The switch works in data link layer of OSI Model.
• Switches are connected to the system via the full-duplex connection.
• The number of ports in Switches is between 4 and 48.
• Transfers the data to the port for which it is addressed.
•  Multiple devices can send data simultaneously at the same time.
• It is more expensive than hubs.
• In Switch, Packet filtering is provided.
• Switch has software for administration and therefore, it is an intelligent device.
• Its speed between 10-100Mbps, 1-10 Gbps.
• Switch can be used as a repeater.
• In Switch, each port have their own collision domain.
• It is an active device.

Also Read: Difference Between Router And Bridge

Difference Between Hub And Switch In Tabular Form