Explaining Routers, Switches, and Hubs

February 27th, 2007 by Jeremy Toeman

Does this sound familiar: “Hey, I want to get online, but I don’t know if I need a router or a hub?” or “JT, do I need a switch for getting my office networked?” (well, your version probably doesn’t have the JT in it).  I get asked the question multiple times per month.  So, in my stint as a guest blogger with Netgear, I decided to get some official answers from Sanjay Kumar (the one who isn’t about to go to jail).  Sanjay spent a while with me, explaining a lot of the nuances to how networking works.  So, if you’d like to learn more, read on

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • e-mail
  • Fark
  • Furl
  • Live
  • Ma.gnolia
  • Reddit
  • SphereIt
  • StumbleUpon
  • TailRank
  • Technorati
  • ThisNext
  • TwitThis
  • YahooMyWeb

4 Responses to “Explaining Routers, Switches, and Hubs”

  1. Dave Zatz Says:

    Being a digital media blogger who worked as a network engineer for 8 years, I also get this question all the time. The reason it’s difficult to explain nowadays, is because in the past whereas these functions were segregated into different boxes, current devices perform many of these functions. It also seems like the word ‘bridge’ is on the way out. Bridges are not just for going from wired to wireless, they can also span different wired (or wireless) networks. In the real world, do most extenders and access points do the same things the same way? Who knows!

  2. Explaining Routers, Switches, and Hubs at BC Blog Says:

    [...] Explaining Routers, Switches, and Hubs [...]

  3. JB Says:

    Very helpful Jeremy. Great job and thanks!

  4. It’s HARDbutWARE » Explaining Routers, Switches, and Hubs Says:

    [...] read more | digg story [...]

Leave a Reply