[NTLUG:Discuss] Router or switch?

[Greg Edwards]

Darin W. Smith wrote:
> On Mon, 05 May 2003 14:25:24 -0500, Greg Edwards <greg at nas-inet.com> wrote:
> 
>> You may pay a little more for a smart hub but if you run very much 
>> data they're worth it.  I run the 3Com OfficeConnect hubs and they 
>> have smarts that direct traffic to only the addressed port rather than 
>> broadcasting across all ports.  If the destination port is not on the 
>> same hub then no data is passed to the other machines on that hub.  
>> Only to the port (up or down link) that falls in the route needed to 
>> get to the destination gets traffic.
>>
> 
> Wait, isn't this the real difference between a hub and a switch?
> 
> A hub is a "repeater"...i.e., all traffic goes out all ports.  If two 
> stations transmit simultaneously, then there is a collision and both 
> must wait a random period before retransmitting.  Plus, every machine 
> has to look at all the ethernet frames.
> 

Maybe I misspoke here.  I've got both, 3Com 8 port hub and 3Com 4 port 
switch.

I like and do recommend the 3Com OfficeConnect series.  Around $100 for 
8 port switch, auto speed, uplink, and smart route features.  You can 
grow by just adding another box and uplinking it to your current chain. 
  I've got an 8 (says hub on it) and 4 (says switch on it) and I'll be 
looking for another in a couple months.  I run my general net traffic 
over the 8 port hub and server farm over the 4 port switch.

-- 
Greg Edwards
New Age Software, Inc. - http://www.nas-inet.com
======================================================
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