Networking Hub or Switch?

[Induced_Drag]

Dear All,

Does anyone have suggestions re the best way to go networking FS9 with the various components of PM? Is a straight forward hub the best or a switch?

Any info welcomed, especially re network hardware you are using which works with no bottlenecks.

Regards,
ID.

[sas550]

Since a hub is broadcasting the data traffic to all ports the risk of packet collisions is higher (collision=takes longer time for correct data to reach is destination). A switch is more intelligent since it direct the traffic only to the port where the receiving pc is attached. In a very small network you'll probably won't notice any difference. But with the prices on this type of gear I'll guess there's not so much to save by buying a hub instead of a switch.

[oal331]

Hello,


Today i don't know if they are still selling simple hubs, as i think the switches are in the same price.
So the answer is, SWITCH and if there is small difference in price, a 10/100/1000 switch to support also gigabite network cards. Today almost all the motherboards have built in a 10/100/1000 Network card.

Here are some old articles about switches and hubs, i found from google

"Shared versus dedicated channels. In an Ethernet network, every client, server and network device is wired to a hub or switch. A hub shares the total bandwidth among all users, while a switch provides a dedicated line at full bandwidth between every two devices transmitting to each other. In the 1990s, switches were much more costly than hubs, and devices were carefully evaluated based on the traffic requirement. By the turn of the century, switches became much less expensive, and the popularity of hubs began to wane."

Hub :
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/HUB_2.jpg


Switch :
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Netzwerktopologie_Stern.png/180px-Netzwerktopologie_Stern.png


Regards

Eddie

[AndyT]

Switch all the way.

[Induced_Drag]

Dear Anders, Eddie and Andy,

Thanks for all the info, very informative.

A switch it will be.

Regards,
ID.