What's the difference between a router and a hub?

Answer 1

A router is a more sophisticated network device than either a switch or a hub. Like hubs and switches, network routers are typically small, box-like pieces of equipment that multiple computers can connect to. Each features a number of "ports" the front or back that provide the connection points for these computers, a connection for electric power, and a number of LED lights to display device status. While routers, hubs and switches all share similiar physical appearance, routers differ substantially in their inner workings. See link below - it goes in depth on your question.

Answer 2

Router is more sophisticated than hubs & switches.

A network device that forwards packets from one network to another. Based on internal routing tables, routers read each incoming packet and decide how to forward it. The destination address in the packets determines which interface on the router outgoing packets are directed to. In large-scale enterprise routers, the current traffic load, congestion, line costs and other factors determine which outgoing line to forward to.

In an Ethernet network, every client, server and network device is wired to a hub or switch. A hub shares the total bandwidth among all users, while a switch provides a dedicated line at full bandwidth between every two devices transmitting to each other. Later, switches were much more costly than hubs, and devices were carefully evaluated based on the traffic requirement. By the turn of the century, switches became much less expensive, and the popularity of hubs began to wane.

Answer 3

A router connects 2 dissimilar networks (e.g. Your personal home network and the Internet) and a hub is just used to connect 2 or more devices onto the same network.

Answer 4

simply:

A hub is a small, simple, inexpensive network device that joins multiple computers together.

Routers are physical devices that join multiple wired or wireless networks together. Technically, a wired or wireless router is a Layer 3 gateway, meaning that the wired/wireless router connects networks (as gateways do), and that the router operates at the network layer of the OSI model.

Answer 5

A router is a more sophisticated network device than either a switch or a hub. Like hubs and switches, network routers are typically small, box-like pieces of equipment that multiple computers can connect to. Each features a number of "ports" the front or back that provide the connection points for these computers, a connection for electric power, and a number of LED lights to display device status. While routers, hubs and switches all share similiar physical appearance, routers differ substantially in their inner workings.

Traditional routers are designed to join multiple area networks (LANs and WANs).

On the Internet or on a large corporate network, for example, routers serve as intermediate destinations for network traffic. These routers receive TCP/IP packets, look inside each packet to identify the source and target IP addresses, then forward these packets as needed to ensure the data reaches its final destination.

Routers for home networks (often called broadband routers) also can join multiple networks. These routers are designed specifically to join the home (LAN) to the Internet (WAN) for the purpose of Internet connection sharing. In contrast, neither hubs nor switches are capable of joining multiple networks or sharing an Internet connection. A home network with only hubs and switches must designate one computer as the gateway to the Internet, and that device must possess two network adapters for sharing, one for the home LAN and one for the Internet WAN. With a router, all home computers connect to the router equally, and it performs the equivalent gateway functions.

Additionally, broadband routers contain several features beyond those of traditional routers. Broadband routers provide DHCP server and proxy support, for example. Most of these routers also offer integrated firewalls. Finally, wired Ethernet broadband routers typically incorporate a built-in Ethernet switch. These routers allow several hubs or switches to be connected to them, as a means to expand the local network to accomodate more Ethernet devices.

In home networking, hubs and switches technically exist only for wired networks. Wi-Fi wireless routers incorporate a built-in access point that is roughly equivalent to a wired switch.

Answer 6

A router is able to deliver packets where they need to go. A hub will just send packets through regardless of where they are going.

Answer 7

Hubs are used to expand the number of devices or PCs connected on a "LAN" (local area network ....exists at one location... home or office).

Routers are used to connect a "LAN' to a "WAN" (wide area network .... exists at more than one location ... like the intentet).

Routers are used to share external connections to the internet or another outside network with local one or more local PCs.

more info :

http://compnetworking.about.com/od/homenetworkhardware/f/routervsswitch.htm


regards,
Philip T