Hub or Switch?

[Mitsu3000gt]

I keep getting different answers/opinions from people, and my own reading suggests both would probably work, so I thought I would ask here too. Here is what I am trying to do:

I have a Router (D-Link 655 if that matters) in my computer room. I have an ethernet cable running off one of the router ports into a wall jack that goes through the wall to my home theater room. In my home theater room, I have 3 things I need to network off of that single wall jack - my receiver, my WD Live, and my PS3.

I stream full 1080p video from my computer to the WD live, and don't want any issues/lag while playing my PS3 online...would a hub or switch be best for my situation? I guess I just want maximum speed (at least 10/100 but probably gigabit) and no compatibility issues.

Thanks!

[sputnik]

Just get a Linksys gigabit switch.

[TimH]

A hub is 10mbps and half duplex (one computer transmitting at a time).

A switch is usually 100mpbs and full duplex (multiple devices transmitting at once).

Don't use a hub as it will be painfully slow. Just go out and buy a $50 D-link, Linksys, etc. gigabit switch.

[taemo]

what they said.
I didn't even think hubs were still being sold except at specific computer stores.

spend the extra $ and buy a gigabit switch.

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by TimH
A hub is 10mbps and half duplex (one computer transmitting at a time).

A switch is usually 100mpbs and full duplex (multiple devices transmitting at once).

Don't use a hub as it will be painfully slow. Just go out and buy a $50 D-link, Linksys, etc. gigabit switch.

:facepalm:

Hub and Switches differentiate by the way broadcast traffic is handled. Not by speed.

Unless you go to a recycle facility or have a time machine, you will never find a hub again. Everything these days are switches.

Just go to MemX, they don't even sell hubs. Nobody has for a long time.

Even gbps switches are so cheap now, there is no reason to stay with 10/100, most streaming is in the 15-30 range). I suggest the OP to pick a D-link Gbps switch and go with it. Unless there is a fault with in wall wiring or excessive EMF noise, you won't see much latency between router and switch.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Thanks guys. I started to wonder when I couldn't find any hubs on Memory Express' website. When I searched for Hub all I got was USB hubs.

So, would either of these do the job?

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX1800(ME).aspx

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX30392(ME).aspx

All the Linksys stuff seems to be more than double the price except for their 10/100 stuff.

Also I don't care about power consumption, which seems to be another selling feature.

[Zero102]

Either one would be perfectly fine :thumbsup:

[TimH]

Originally posted by Xtrema


:facepalm:

Hub and Switches differentiate by the way broadcast traffic is handled. Not by speed.


How does broadcast traffic differ between a switch and a hub? Both flood out broadcast traffic on all ports. The difference is a hub will broadcast or flood unicast frames out every port where as a switch will forward unicast frames to a specific port. Speed is usually negotiated by duplex usually AFAIK.

[Grogador]

Get a switch.

If you manage to dig up a used hub somewhere, do everyone a favor and crush it. The packet collisions (ie. substantial packetloss) from everyone trying to talk at the same time and CSMA/CD not being that affective would cripple your streaming video and games.


Originally posted by TimH
How does broadcast traffic differ between a switch and a hub? Both flood out broadcast traffic on all ports. The difference is a hub will broadcast or flood unicast frames out every port where as a switch will forward unicast frames to a specific port.

Basically this. I don't really know my OSI 7-layer bagel, but isn't a hub layer 1 (buncha wires crossed together) while a switch is layer 2 (knows what MAC daddy lives on what port)?

[ipeefreely]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX1800(ME).aspx


I have the 5 & 8 port on a gigabite network... never had any problems with them. :)

You might want to pick up an eight port you never know when the extra ports may come in handy in the future! :thumbsup:

[Mibz]

Speed is usually negotiated by duplex usually AFAIK.Speed and duplex are negotiated separately and any speed can exist with any duplex provided the media can handle it.

And the term everybody's looking for here is "collision domain". Hubs have 1, switches have 1 per port. Not that this conversation matters at all for all the aforementioned reasons.

[SmAcKpOo]

Originally posted by Grogador


Basically this. I don't really know my OSI 7-layer bagel, but isn't a hub layer 1 (buncha wires crossed together) while a switch is layer 2 (knows what MAC daddy lives on what port)?

Correct. Hubs and repeaters are layer 1 devices.