Linux - NetworkingThis forum is for any issue related to networks or networking.
Routing, network cards, OSI, etc. Anything is fair game.
Notices
Welcome to LinuxQuestions.org, a friendly and active Linux Community.
You are currently viewing LQ as a guest. By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics, receive our newsletter, use the advanced search, subscribe to threads and access many other special features. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today!
Note that registered members see fewer ads, and ContentLink is completely disabled once you log in.
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you need to reset your password, click here.
Having a problem logging in? Please visit this page to clear all LQ-related cookies.
Get a virtual cloud desktop with the Linux distro that you want in less than five minutes with Shells! With over 10 pre-installed distros to choose from, the worry-free installation life is here! Whether you are a digital nomad or just looking for flexibility, Shells can put your Linux machine on the device that you want to use.
Exclusive for LQ members, get up to 45% off per month. Click here for more info.
AIUI a hub is a dumb broadcast device, sending all packets to all connected hosts, whereas a switch is smart and learns which MAC addresses are associated with IPs so directs traffic to only the intended host.
with a hub you only have 1 collision domain, which means that only one person (pc/laptopm whatever) can "talk" at the same time. If more that one device tries to transmit packets a hub a collision can occur. Each device then has a random countdown timer until it can re-transmit (google csma/cd).
On switches, there are multiple collision domains, each switchport is its own collision domain which means that each device connected to a switchport and transmit packets no matter what another device connected to another switchport is doing.
hope that helps somewhat.
It doesn't matter about manageability. You can have a managed or unmanaged switch. (don't know about hubs, they're before my time)
I have seen managed and unmanaged hubs. I'm not sure what the boundary of defining "managed" is for switches. I don't recall using any switches that were entirely lacking in management features.
I think the fundamental difference is in collision domains as nano101 described. With a hub, only one packet can go through the entire hub at a time. With a typical switch, any combination of ports could be sending and receiving packets at the same instant and an individual port could be both sending and receiving. For that to be effective, the switch needs to remember MAC addresses as described by catkin, except I think it is MAC addresses by port it must remember. Many switches are unaware of any IP address other than its own. If the MAC address is remembered, the switch can forward the packet to only the port connected to that MAC address. Otherwise the switch must forward the packet to all other ports, making the switch as inefficient as a hub for that packet.
Last edited by johnsfine; 03-08-2012 at 09:24 AM.
Reason: typo
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing
Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute
content, let us know.