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What’s the Difference between a Hub, a Switch, and a Router?

What’s the difference between a hub, a switch, and a router?

In a word, intelligence.

Hubs, switches, and routers are all devices that let you connect one or more computers to other computers, networked devices, or even other networks. Each has two or more connectors called ports, into which you plug the cables to make the connection.

Varying degrees of magic happen inside the device — and therein lies the difference.

Footnotes & references

1: I use “message” here to keep things conceptually simple. The more correct term would be “packet,” as each of these devices operate on discrete packets of information traveling on the network.

2: To the extent that many consumer grade routers often run a variant of the Linux operating system.

What’s the Difference between a Hub, a Switch, and a Router?

Footnotes & references

Tip of the Day: Give Your Computer a Meaningful Name

Tip of the Day: Use the Same Account on All Machines

Tip of the Day: Use a Consistent Workgroup Name

Tip Of The Day: Change Your Machine’s Name

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Footnotes & references