Types of Network Hubs
Networks hubs are classified into three types:
- Active Hub: They have a power supply for regenerating, and amplifying the signals. When a port sends weak signalled data, the hub regenerates the signal and strengthens it, then send it further to all other ports. Active hubs are expensive in costs as compared to passive hubs.
- Passive Hub: Passive hubs are simply used to connect signals from different network cables as they do not have any computerised element. They simply connect the wires of different devices in the star topology. Passive hubs do not do any processing or signal regeneration and that’s why do not require electricity the most they can do is they can copy or repeat the signal. It can’t clean the message, and it can’t amplify or strengthen the signal.
- Intelligent Hub: Intelligent hubs as the name suggests are smarter than active and passive hubs. The intelligent hub comprises a special monitoring unit named a Management Information Base (MIB). This is software that helps in analysing and troubleshooting network problems. Intelligent hubs work similarly to active hubs but with some management features. Like it can monitor the traffic of the network and the configuration of a port.
What is Network Hub and How it Works?
Hub in networking plays a vital role in data transmission and broadcasting. A hub is a hardware device used at the physical layer to connect multiple devices in the network. Hubs are widely used to connect LANs. A hub has multiple ports. Unlike a switch, a hub cannot filter the data, i.e. it cannot identify the destination of the packet, So it broadcasts or sends the message to each port.