Know The Difference Hub, Switch, Bridge and Router

To connect computers within a network, we sometimes hear the term Hub, Switch, Bridge and Router, then what is the difference between the four equipment. The following definitions and differences in Hub,
Switch, Bridge and Router.

1. Hub
• A device that has a lot of ports that will connect several nodes
(computers) so as to form a network in star topology.
• How it Works: When a packet arrives at one port, the packet will be copied to other ports in the hub. Or in other words, the hub simply
copy the data to all nodes that are connected to the hub. This causes
the network performance will be slow.
• Hub with 10/100Mbps specifications must share bandwidth with each port. So when only one PC is using, will get access to the maximum available bandwidth. However, if multiple PCs in operation or in use on the network, the bandwidth will be distributed to all PCs, so it
will reduce network performance
• There are mainly two types of hubs:
1. Passive: The signal is forwarded as it is (so it doesn’t need power supply).
2. Active: The signal is amplified, so they work as repeaters. In fact
they have been called multiport repeaters. (use power supply)
• According to the version and the model, they integrate some
characteristics of connection specific to the apparatus.
1. Hubs bases 10: connection numbers according to the model, port
reverse (this one makes it possible to connect two Hubs between-them, avoiding the use of a cross cable RJ45), a connection coaxial. By connection, one finds a led announcing connection to a chart and a led of collision per channel or for the unit. The latter announces the state of the whole of connections.
2. Hubs bases 100: connection numbers according to the model, port
reverse (this one makes it possible to connect two Hubs between-them), never of connection coaxial. By connection, one finds a LED announcing connection to a chart and a led of collision per channel or for the unit. The latter announces the state of the whole of connections.
Moreover, for versions 10/100, one finds two LED for each channel
(bases 10 and bases 100)

2. Bridge
• Basic function to connect two similar LANs, so it can have a LAN is
much larger than the provisions of the LAN configuration without
Bridge.
• Bridge can connect several separate networks, both types of the same or different networks (such as Ethernet and Fast Ethernet).
• Bridge to connect two LANs that are both using baseband transmission methods or broadbrand or LAN with baseband and broadband or LAN with access method CSMA / CD with token passing and forth depending on the type of bridge used.
• How it Works: Bridge to map the Ethernet address of every node or an existing point on each network segment and allow only the necessary data traffic across the bridge. When receiving a packet, the bridge determines destination and source segments. If the same segment, the package will be rejected, and if the segment is different, packages are forwarded to the destination segment. Thus the bridge was also destroyed to prevent the message does not spread out from one segment.
• Bridge work on layers of physical layer and data link layer, so that
will affect the performance of the LAN when frequent communication
systems that are in different LANs are connected by the Bridge.
• There are following three common types of the bridges.
1. Transparent Bridge
A Transparent bride is invisible to the other part of the computer
network and it performs the functions of blocking and forwarding the
data packets based on the MAC addressees. They are the most popular types of the bridges.
2. Translational Bridge
Translation bridges are used to connect the two different networks
such as Ethernet and Token Ring. It translates the data and forward to
the other network. 3. Source-Route Bridge Source-Route bridges are designed for the Token Ring networks. In the Source-Route Bridge, the entire route of the network frame is embedded into the frame.

3. Switch
• Switch shape similar to the hub.
• Switch or better known as LAN Switch is an extension of the concept of bridge.
• How it Works: There are two basic architectures that are used are:
cut-through and store and forward.
• Switch cut trough has advantages in the speed because when a packet comes, the switch considers only the destination address before being forwarded to the destination segment. While store and forward switch is the opposite of the cut-through switches. This switch receives and analyzes the entire contents of the package before forward it to the destination and to meneriksa a package requires time, but this allows the switch to determine the damage to the package and prevent it from disturbing the network.
• Switch with 10/100Mbps specification will allocate to each port
10/100Mbps full of it. So no matter how many computers are connected, users will always have full bandwidth.
• Most common switching methods are:
1. Cut-through
Directly forward what the switch gets. Analyzes only the Mac address
of destination (placed in heading of each screen, coded on 48 bits and
specific to each chart network) then redirects the flood of data
without any checking. This type of switch does not make any checking
on the message itself. In the principle, the destination address must
be stored beforehand in the table, if not a mechanism of broadcast is
found. These switch is only used in environments made up of point-to-point connections (customers – server). One exclude all mixed
applications from type peer to peer.
2. The mode Cut Through Runt Free
Is derived from Cut Through. When a collision occurs on the network,
an incomplete screen (less than 64 bytes) called Runt is delivered by
the switch. In this mode, the switch analyzes the first 64 bits of
screens before sending them to the recipient. If the screen is rather
long, it is sent. In the contrary case, it is ignored.
3. The mode Early Cut Through (also called Free Fragment at Cisco)
Is also derived from Cut Through. This system directly transmits the
screens whose TO address is detected and present in the table of
address of the switch. For that, the table must be perfectly up to
date, which is difficult in the case of large networks. On the other
hand, it will not send the screens whose TO address is not clearly
identified. It does not hold account either of the original address.
The latencies are very low.
4. The mode Adaptive Cut Through
Is distinguished especially on the level from the correction from the
errors. These switches keep the trace of the screens comprising of the
errors. When the error count exceeds a certain threshold, the switch
passes automatically in mode Store and Forward. This mechanism avoids the propagation of the errors on the network by isolating certain
segments from the network. When the error rate becomes again normal,
the switch returns to the mode Cut Through.
5. The mode Store and forward: receive the full frame before retransmitting it.
4. Router
• Functions for data to get to their destination on the network as desired.
• How it Works: Router works in a similar way to the switches and
bridges. The difference is, the router is a filter or filters data traffic. Filtering is done by using a particular protocol. Router is basically a splitter device is a logical rather than physical network.
• The router can select the best alternative path (best route for data
transport.), If indeed there are several ways to achieve goals or if
one path to the destination is lost for any reason.
• Router works on the physical layer, data link and network layer, so
it can not be used carelessly.
• The router is generally the most is not connected to two networks.,
Two LAN or WAN to LAN and a network of ISP (Internet Service
Provider). Some DSL modems and cable modem also has router
functionality built into it that allows multiple computers to form
networks and directly connect to the internet.
• If the hubs, bridges and switches is a networking device, the router
is an internetworking device.

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