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[linux-help] Re: Routers, Hubs, & Switches -
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[linux-help] Re: Routers, Hubs, & Switches -

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To: linux-help@xxxxxxxxx
Subject: [linux-help] Re: Routers, Hubs, & Switches -
From: Jeff Vian <jvian10@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 15 Mar 2002 10:33:08 -0600
Reply-to: linux-help@xxxxxxxxx

Actually a switch and hub are very similar. 
        The hub allows every attached device to see all the traffic on the
network.  hubs are good for networks with lower traffic volume.
        a switch acts as a traffic director and sends traffic from one device
to the one it is addressed to without allowing others to see the
unnecessary traffic on theit portion of the network. switches are used
for higher volume traffic netwowrks.

both serve to connect multiple devices together on the LAN (Local
network) and know nothing about how to get to anything that is not
local.

A router on the other hand connects 2 different networks together.  On
one side is your LAN with one or more subnets active on it.  On the
other side of the router is the rest of the world. The router ignores
anything that is on the LAN and only listens for traffic that is
supposed to be sent elsewhere. It actively routes traffic destined for
the world off the lan  but blocks LAN traffic from leaving.


If you set your network up similar to mine, you set up one machine with
2 ethernet cards. One connects to the cable/dsl modem and the other
connects to your hub/switch.
This machine is configured as the gateway and provides services such as
firewalling, NAT (or as linux calls it ip masquerading)  and dns for the
rest of the network.
The internal network has non-routable addresses and can communicate
locally with no problem but can communicate with the world only by using
the services of the firewall/gateway machine.
This machine effectively acts as a router for you, and can have as many
or as few services as you desire running. (the fewer the better from a
security standpoint)

your 486 will easily handle the minimal services needed on the gateway
system. It can easlily handle the maximum traffic available on a
100baseT network.
in the 486 install 2 network cards, in each other machine install one
network card, and get a hub/switch to connect them all together on the
LAN side of the gateway.
A little configuration and you are all set with minimal expense.


Bob Goodwin wrote:
> 
> I would like to "network" two linux boxes ['586 RH-7.2], one of
> which is presently connected to the Road Runner cable. Actually
> both have eth cards and will work on the cable.
> 
> I have been searching for information and am presently in a state
> of total confusion about routers, hubs, and switches.  Apparently a
> router will connect the boxes together and provide an internet
> connection to both?

most of these sold for internet connection have router and switch
functions in one unit.
And, yes, they will allow direct connection to more than one system

> 
> A hub will allow me to transfer data between computers via ethernet
> [my main objective] and with the addition of my old '486 I can
> create a router?
> 
> Now I have discovered that Sam's Club sells something called a
> "switch" that offers similar functions?


Another config if your internet connection allows multiple IP addresses
to be used is to just connect a switch/hub between the modem and the
machines you are using. This provides no isolation from the internet and
each machine is accessible from the internet. Using the firewall/gateway
config only requires one internet IP and only one machine (the firewall)
is directly connected to the internet.

> 
> What do I need to buy? Will all of these devices tie my boxes
> together? What's the difference between a hub and a switch?
> 
> Can anyone help on any of these questions?
> 
> Bob G -
> 
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