Networking Devices - Hubs & Switches

Network devices are essential in IT for communication between computers.
Cables create point-to-point connections, allowing direct communication between two devices.
Point-to-point connections are limited in scalability for large networks.

A hub is a basic network device that connects multiple computers.
- Physical Layer Device (Layer 1): Operates at the physical layer of the OSI model.
- All devices connected to a hub communicate with each other simultaneously.
  - Incoming data is broadcast to all connected devices.
  - Each device must determine if the data is relevant to it or not.
Collision Domain
- All devices connected to a hub are in the same collision domain.
- Only one device can communicate at a time.
  - Multiple devices sending data simultaneously causes interference (collisions).
  - Devices must wait for a pause in traffic before retransmitting, slowing down communications.
Hubs are largely considered outdated, primarily seen as historical artifacts in modern networks.

A switch is a more advanced network device for connecting multiple computers.
- Originally referred to as a switching hub.
- Functions as a Data Link Device (Layer 2): Works at the data link layer of the OSI model.
Functionality
- A switch analyzes the data packets being transmitted.
- It determines the intended destination of the data.
- Data is then sent only to the intended recipient, not broadcasted to all devices on the network.
Benefits of Switches
- Reduces the size of collision domains effectively.
- Results in fewer retransmissions due to reduced collisions.
- Increases overall throughput of the network, making it more efficient for multiple users.