[Lvlug] Routers, hubs, and switches

[Jarret Raim]

Faber Fedor wrote:
> On Tue, Jun 29, 2004 at 01:00:07PM -0400, Ferguson, Scott W wrote:
> 
>>Can anybody clarify for me the difference between these three?  My dilemma
>>is simple, I have one eth jack at work/dorm and I want two computers
>>hooked up without screwing around with the network.  So I guess just
>>splitting the signal?  Seems to me like a router would be the wrong way to
>>go...
> 
> 
> A hub provides an electrical connection between the computers.  IT's the
> equivalent of running cable from every computer on the network to every
> other computer on the network.  One downside is that only one computer
> can be talking at a time because his signal is sent out via "all the
> wires".  So when Computer A sends a message to computer B, computer C
> will see it (and ignore it).
> 
> A switch is an intelligent hub.  It connects everyone together, but
> routes messages over specific wires to the destination computer, so when
> Computer A sends a message to Computer B, computer C doesn't see it.
> 
> A router routes messages between different networks.
> 
> In your case, yes, a router is the wrong way to go since both computers
> are on the same network (192.168.0.x or whatever).  You want a hub or,
> if you can afford it, a switch.  

I'm new on this list but I think I can help here. You might be forced to 
use a router because some college campuses limit the number of IP's that 
can be leased to one port. With a hub or a switch each machine connected 
to the device must obtain in IP from the DHCP server. With a router, 
only one IP is needed since it uses NAT to supply internal IPs to your 
machines. E-mail your tech department to ask them if it is OK to have 
more than one machine on a port. If it is, get a switch (they are cheap 
enough that there is no reason to get a hub) otherwise you will need a 
router. I have a couple Linksys routers that work well and can be had 
for the sub $50 range.


Thanks,
Jarret Raim
jarito at lehigh.edu