More Clarification Required

[Fireman100]

Apologies to those who responded earlier but i think i misled you, what i was trying to ascertain was would my computer run slower with regards to use of data located on a server, if it was connected to a 4 port hub with other pc's and then that hub was then connected to the server (whereas before my computer was connected directly to the network point) will this have an impact on data trnsfer etc, i have been assured by our network administrator that it will still be as quick as before, even though the one line is now shared between 3 of us??

Thanks to those who responded before

and hope the same people can help again

Thank You

[vass0922]

Unless those 3 are hammering the server with heavy file requests and moving 650 meg files... no you probably won't see any difference.

Are you on a 100 mbit line?
If its 10 megabit you'd see more of an impact of course.

[John Prophet]

A hub, just by the nature of the way it works, is going to be slower than a switch.

Switches are soooooooooooo cheap nowadays that there isnt really a good reason to use a hub.

Hubs send EVERYTHING that comes IN on ANY port back OUT of EVERY port.....so if your comp and another comp are sending info at the same time, they are going to have some data "collisions" happening. If we are on a hub and you and I send at the same time we collide and both comps then have to re-send again...causing a slowdown.

A switch on the other hand doesnt send EVERYTHING out on EVERY port....a switch is smarter and it determines WHERE the packet is being sent bt the MAC address of the destination etc....so if youre comp is sending to the server..then my port of the switch isnt affected at all...cuz the switch knows that I am not the server.

So a switch does basically allow each connection to keep full bandwidth...but with a hub there will be some slowdown.

But like Vass said, it may not really be too noticeable unless there is some serious data moving.

But with 4 or 5 port switches being had for less than $20 bucks now, see if they will buy a switch. I see them often for $10 after rebate..not sure about in the UK though, but still they are super cheap.

JP