5 Advantages and Disadvantages of Hub | Drawbacks & Benefits of Hub

 

A hub is a networking device's central hub that joins several hosting devices to a single network. By acting as a multiport repeater, it enables data flow amongst itself. Either twisted pair or fiber optic cable is used for this purpose.

Hubs often use the physical layer, or layer-1 of the OSI stack, to function. It links computers together in the same way as switches. Hubs have several technical constraints even though they make network connections easier. When deciding whether to deploy a hub, these factors must be taken into account.


I will discuss 5 Advantages and Disadvantages of Hub | Drawbacks & Benefits of Hub in this essay. You will learn about the benefits and drawbacks of using Hubs through this post.

Now let's get started,

 

Advantages of Hub

1. Connectivity

Allowing clients to join a network so they can share and communicate is the hub's main purpose. Hubs employ a network protocol analyzer for this purpose.


2. Performance

Hubs are renowned for having virtually little effect on the network's performance. This is because the network is rarely impacted by its broadcast form of operation.


3. Cost

In comparison to switches, hubs are incredibly affordable. mostly because of its simplicity. They can thus assist you in making financial savings. 

 

Additionally, because to their mass manufacturing, they are easily accessible on the market.


4. Device Support

Multiple media kinds can be connected to a central hub via hubs. The media can be utilized to assist them even though they formerly operated at distinct speeds.


5. Area Coverage

A network's coverage area is constrained by a specific distance. Hub increases the network's range, facilitating easy communication.

Disadvantages of Hub

1. Collision Domain

The collision domain and packet retransmission functions are absent from hubs. Actually, it raises the likelihood of a collision between domains.


2. Full Duplex Mode

Hubs can only function in half-duplex mode; they cannot interact in full duplex mode. 

 

In essence, data can only be transmitted once at a time when using half duplex mode. Hub must so continually transition between modes.


3. Network Architecture

Large-scale networks, such token rings, cannot be supported by hubs. This is due to the fact that hubs must distribute data to every device connected to the network. 

 

Eventually, as more devices are added, the network will get sluggish and unstable.


4. Network Traffic

Hubs are unable to lower network load since all attachments are received through posts. Thus, hubs produce a lot of network traffic even on busy networks.


5. Bandwidth Wastage

Hubs must share bandwidth since they are unable to give each device its own dedicated bandwidth. 

 

Large data transfers always result in the two computers using up all available bandwidth, leaving the other machines' networks operating slowly.