Hub

A hub refers to a central electronic device, such as a router, connected to several other devices in a. Hubs make it easier to add and troubleshoot nodes. However, a hub also introduces a single point of failure and the potential for introducing a if its throughput cannot keep up with total data traffic. A network switch (or just "switch") is a hub that uses packet switching to manage traffic more efficiently on a local area network.

History
In the late 1970s to early 1980s, hubs were used to connect computers together in a local area network (LAN). In a message handling service, a number of local computers might exchange messages solely with a hub computer. The hub would be responsible for exchanging messages with other hubs and non-local computers.

In 1986, the introduction of PhoneNET helped to popularize inexpensive AppleTalk networks. Farallon introduced its StarController hubs to manage and improve bandwidth of larger AppleTalk LANs through using star topology.

In 1998, the introduction of USB in the iMac G3 popularized the adoption of USB hubs, especially for Macintosh models with a limited number of USB ports. Wired USB keyboards are typically USB hubs as they allow their connection to the computer to be shared with other USB devices, such as a mouse.

In homes and small offices connected to the Internet through a (DSL), the DSL modem often also serves as an Ethernet and Wi-Fi hub.