Answer the following activity questions below:
1. In terms of collisions and speed, what are the differences between hubs and switches?
Switches transmit data at a faster speed as compared to hubs. There are no collisions when using switches whereas when using hubs you are likely encounter collisions. This is because only one data packet can pass through a hub at any particular time. Therefore when a computer tries to send a data packet to the hub while it is broadcasting, then a collision will occur. (Tanenbaum, 2003)
2. How do switches solve network congestion problems on Ethernet networks?+
Computer network switches solve the problem of congestion by processing the data in a hierarchical deign. In this send a computer sends data to a switch which then sends the data to the destination computer. This means that once a computer has finished sending the data it doesn’t need to wait for the delivery so as to communicate with another computer in the queue.
3. What does the term “switched bandwidth” mean?
Switched bandwidth involves packets being removed from the ring before reaching their destination and then retransmitted later.
4. How does regular half-duplex communications through a hub work?
The half duplex communication involves transmitting information over the hub one at a time. Information can be transmitted in both directions but not simultaneously. One set of information has to wait for the delivery of the previous sent information before it goes through the channel. (Kohlhepp, 2000)
References
Tanenbaum, A. S. (2003). Computer Networks. Prentice Hall.
Matthew Glidden. (2002) "Switches and Hubs".
Robert J. Kohlhepp (2000). "The 10 Most Important Products of the Decade". Network Computing.
