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Difference between a router, switch and a hub

What's the basic difference between Router, Switches and Hub? Can router and switches be used interchangeably?
Hubs

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are used to expand the size of a LAN. Hubs are mainly used to expand the number of devices that can be used on a LAN.

A switch is used to segment a LAN into separate networks. If the traffic on you LAN were flooding the network with data then you would install a switch to segment the traffic.

Routers are used to connect a WAN or WANS to your LAN or connect dissimilar networks together. Routers can be used to filter and isolate traffic or segment network traffic like switches.

The differences of a router and switch can be confusing. A router can search among multiple active paths and determine which is the best path at that particular moment. In contrast, a switch can recognize only one path between networks.

This was first published in October 2002

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