A Hub or Switch physically connects many computers together by Ethernet cables. Hubs come in many shapes, sizes, colors, and configurations. The main difference in Hubs/Switches is their ability to support either 10Base-T and/or 100Base-TX, speed auto-sensing, half/full duplex uplink ports, number of ports, port limitations and throughput performance.
The word "Switch" is often misused and misunderstood. In a nutshell, a Hub is a device that the speed of individual ports is shared. For instance, the maximum speed of a 10BT Hub with five users on it is 10/5, i.e. 2BT. In a Switch, the speed of individual ports is not shared. Each port is connected independently at the maximum speed, such as 10 or 100BT. However, most dual-speed Hubs has a feature of auto sensing and switching between the two speeds. Remember, the word "switching" in a hub has a very different meaning than a "Switch." A Switch generally provides better throughput than a Hub.
Some Hubs/Switches auto-sense the speed (10/100) based on the first port connection or down-select all ports to the lowest port.
This is the Linksys EtherFast 10/100 16-Port Workgroup Switch, Model No. EZXS16W. This device has handy LEDs on the front face that show which ports are active, at what speed, and duplex mode. Most other Hubs position the LEDs on the rear where the cables connect. Having the LEDs on the front and the cable attachments on the rear make this Switch ideal for desktop applications.
This Switch has 16 auto sensing ports that connect both 10Base-T and 100Base-TX NICs. The Ethernet Category 5 UTP cables with RJ-45 connectors insert into ports on the back of the Switch. The 16th port has a switch next to it that allows this port to be connected to another Hub/Switch with either a straight or crossover cable.
