Switch vs Hub – Comparison
In the previous article, I have present the comparison of Switch vs Router. In this article, I am going to compare switch vs Hub. Hus is another important device in networking. The earlier hub was used in the place of Switch. We can connect one or more computers, networked devices, or even other networks using hub and switch. Each has two or more ports into which we can plug in the cables to make the connection. There are some differences between switch vs hub. People generally misused term hub, so let’s clarify what each one really means so in this article I just make the comparison of both switch vs hub.
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Switch vs Hub
- Hub is working on Layer1 ( physical layer) and Switch is working on a Datalink Layer and Network Layer. Switch working on Layer3 also known as multi-layer Switch.
- Hub is generally used to connect a personal computer network but using a switch we can connect multiple devices together. We can manage the ports of the switch and apply port security as well as bandwidth management. We can also create VLANs on a switch which is not possible on the hub.
- Hub sends data in the form of bits or electrical signals and then sends data in the shape of the frame ( Layer2 Switch) or Frame & Packet ( Layer3 Switch).
- Both switch and hub available in a different number of ports. Additionally, switch also available in a modular ship and soft switch.
- Hubs always perform data flooding to all ports but switch perform the first-time broadcast, then multicast and finally when store all MAC addresses in the MAC table perform data sending using the unicast technique.
- Hub is a passive device without any software but the switch is active devices using software with networking device.
- Hus is using only in LAN but the switch is available everywhere in LAN, WAN and MAN.
- The switch can learn and store MAC addresses but hub can’t learn and store MAC addresses.
- The switch can transmit data in the full-duplex mode as well as in half-duplex mode but hub can only transmit data in half-duplex mode.
- Hub has a single broadcast domain. The switch is also single broadcast domain unless we create VLAN on the switch.
- Hub is single collision domain but switch each port is its own collision domain.
- The switch can run many spanning-tree protocols but the hub is working without spanning tree protocol.
- Hubs are available only on 10Mbps and switches are available in 10/100/1000 Mbps.
- Hub and switch both use MAC address for data transmission.
