Lesson
Hubs
Learning objective
Explain that a hub repeats an incoming signal to its other ports and why hubs are now mostly historical.
What is a hub?
A hub is a simple device that connects several devices on one shared Ethernet segment. When a signal arrives on one port, the hub repeats that signal through every other active port.
Why hubs existed
Early Ethernet networks needed an easy central connection point. A hub provided that physical meeting place without examining the information being carried.
Modern networks usually use switches instead because switches can be more selective. Hubs remain useful for understanding how shared early networks behaved.
Shared traffic and bandwidth
All devices connected to a hub share the same communication space. Every repeated signal reaches the other connected devices, even when only one device is the intended receiver. The hosts must decide whether the received data is meant for them.
Because the connection is shared, simultaneous activity can interfere and available capacity is shared among the devices.
Repeat a signal
Send one signal into the four-port example and observe which ports receive a copy.
Watch a hub repeat a signal
A hub does not choose a destination. It repeats an incoming signal to every other active port.
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