Router VS Hub

[Orbital]

I need some advice on which I should get, a router or a hub. I want to connect both my xbox to my DSL internet so that they can both use the connection at the same time and I won't have to contact my ISP for anything. I know how to do this with a router, but if its possible to do with a hub please tell me so I can save 80 bucks on a friggin router.

[Zion]

You have to get a router. Go to buy.com and get the D-link for $50. You cannot use a hub.

[CrazyCougar]

Yup I tried going with a hub in the beginning as I have 2 computers and an Xbox. To my dismay it did not work at all. It must be a router. Pricewatch.com has some great deals. I got a Netgear and it works great.

[pimpineezhoes]

GET A SWITCH THEY ARE THE BEST. They even keep you warm at night and it lowers your heat bill!

[Orbital]

what exactly does a switch do differently than a router, ive always heard a switch works just like a hub

[pimpineezhoes]

I dont know what a router is. A hub takes the badwidth and splits it up evenly between all of the machines using the connections. A switch does not split it up. A switch gives the maximum amount of bandwidth to every machine which is connected to the switch. Whoever told you that it from the devil!

[Orbital]

o well i bought a linksys router 4-port, i got a good deal on it from amazon - 49.99 after rebate AND FREE SHIPPING :)

[CrazyCougar]

Thats one of the best you can buy!!!!! Nice purchase.

[ShannonX]

when i played through xbconnect and gamespy, i used a hub. I did internet connection sharing via my computer and it worked really well....

[teddeboy]

Just a general network overview for ya'all (in case you need a cure for insomnia). With Xbox Live coming, I'm sure some people would like a primer on networking technology. And this is not stuff I'm making up or know second-hand, I'm a Network Manager and have been for 8 years.

Hubs-
A hub simply passes data around. For example, say you have 3 computers connected to a hub. Computer 1 wants to send some data to Computer 3. Well, Computer 1 just sends out its data to the hub, and the hub (being quite stupid) blasts the data to ALL the computers connected to it, even Computer 1. When Computer 3 sees that the data was intended for it, it picks it up, processes it, and sends the results back to the network. The hub sees that data, and guess what ? Blasts it out to all THREE computers again, hoping that Computer 1 will see it and pick it up. This is a horrible waste of network bandwidth as each "message" on the network is broadcast to every machine on the hub.

Switches-
A switch is an 'intelligent hub' basically. When Computer 1 sends data for Computer 3, the switch grabs the data, and makes a specific circuit or path for that data to go directly to Computer 3. No blasting the data out all over the network. Thus, bandwitdh is used efficiently.

Router-
A router takes data from one network and moves it to another network. A basic router DOES NOT move data between PC's on a network. It's designed to move data between networks, say for example; between 'the Internet' and 'your home LAN'. That's a simple example, but it'll do for now. For home use, you'll rarely see this basic router, you'll more often run into the router/switch or router/hub combo I talk about below.

Bridges: Bridges are kind of like a hub that connects two networks instead of connecting PC's. Bridges, like hubs, are idiots, they just pass the data along, they dont' make sure it goes to a specific computer at all. Some DSL setups (like mine at home) use a bridge to connect me to my ISP. To make my DSL more useful, I have a router/switch combo (described below) connected to the bridge to make sure everything is optimized and allow me to connect multiple computers to my DSL connection since the bridge by itself only has a port for one PC. I plugged my router/switch into that port, and voila, all the ports (8 of 'em) on my router are able to access the Internet.

Router/Switch or Router/Hub combos-
So now some wonderful person has finally figured out how to put multiple functions on one piece of hardware. For example, I have a linksys rotuer/switch combo. That saves me buying two pieces of hardware because it handles all the Internet traffic to/from my house and it also passes the data around between machines on my LAN at home.

A combination Router/Switch is obviously a thousand times better than a Router/Hub combo, since the switch ensures bandwidth is properly allocated-used. This is the kind of hardware you'll probably want for your Xbox to hook up with on your home network. It'll ensure fast, efficient, maximized bandwidth. And they are easy to setup and use.

Some other notes:-------
10-base vs. 100 base
these are measurements of the maximum capacity of the network. 10-base ethernet was pretty much the standard until a few years ago. Mind you, your average DSL/Cable connection will work just fine on a 10-base network. Unless you have some insane DSL or Cable connection, you won't notice a difference between using 10base or 100base, though if you have maybe more than 5 pc's on your home network, you might want to be sure everything you buy is 100base. But if it's 1-2 pc's, or an xbox and a PC, 10base equipment *should* be fine.

Most hardware that is out now will say 10/100 on it, which means it will adapt to the maximum speed of the pc's/equipment you hook into it. I find these 'auto speed sensing' hubs and switches work just dandy.

Pings--
A lot of people are posting their ping-times to various web sites thinking that's going to give them a great idea of how fast their Xbox live connection will be. That's only part of the picture. A ping simply sends a packet(s) of data to a target site. So you can ping Yahoo! and get responses like:
Reply from 66.218.71.80: bytes=32 time=20ms TTL=53

Wow, gee, i'm on a T1 connection, and that's a great ping. However, it only tells part of the story. First off, the ping is effected by
1- the speed of your connection
2- how much data is currently moving over your connection
3- how fast the connection is at the server you're pinging
4 - how overloaded the server is that you are pinging.

So, a ping will give you a basic speed idea, but it's not the whole truth. Not as long as you're just browsing the web or doing other 'bandwidth light' things. Once you get on somethign like Xbox Live, which will have voice, video and data traffic running, your connection is going to slow down, as will your ping time.

Ok, that's it for today. Class dismissed.

[pimpineezhoes]

Class <b>is</b> dismissed. I learned a lot today I gotta go home and see if I have a Linksys switch or a router/switch you were talking about. It doesnt really matter I guess cuz I only got one PC and the Xbox. Ummmm. being a network manager, why do business' network's always "go down" WTF is going on there????

[AmpedRider]

You have to get a router.
nop, i got a hub today and it works just fine ***note I HAVE ONE PC*** thats why i only got a hub

[Master Bates]

So whats a "Gateway" then? Another term for a router?

Bates:eek:

[peejay2288]

Originally posted by Master Bates
So whats a "Gateway" then? Another term for a router?

Bates:eek:

I like your name. My real name is peter. In 7th grade we were watching a movie about Ann Frank. WHen she said Peter it was like "Pater." They still mess with me to this day calling me "Master Pater."