What does the hub do? All the info on networking

In a network, devices are coupled together to exchange data. To make this work, there are various network devices that are used as links - such as the hub. Find out how a hub is used in a network and what to look out for.

Network device: the hub - what you need to know

In order to connect devices within a network, certain network devices are necessary. Common links are, for example, routers, switches or hubs.

• A hub can be used to connect multiple computers in a network. Since hubs operate only on the first layer of the OSI model, they act purely as distributors.
• Unlike the switch, the hub forwards all information to all connected computers. The switch, on the other hand, is able to differentiate and can forward information from only one of the connected devices.
• In addition, a hub can either only receive or send messages flowing over the network.

Various hubs at a glance

Hubs can be divided into several categories, which differ from each other in size and equipment.

• The smallest devices are equipped with only a dozen ports and can connect smaller workgroups. Dementsprechend lassen sich Hubs in dieser Größenordnung als Arbeitsgruppen-Hub bezeichnen.
• Die nächst größere Kategorie sind Abteilungs-Hubs, über die bis zu 100 Geräte miteinander vernetzt werden können.
• Die größte Kategorie bilden die unternehmensweiten Hubs, die in der Lage sind, direkt mehrere hundert Geräte miteinander zu vernetzen.