What's the difference between a router and a hub, I know a router has intelligence, but couldn't a hub be used in any instanced that a router could be used? Can you use a hub to share internet connection? I'm not really understanding the difference. ;\

A hub simply provides a physical connection between devices, such as for a win98 home network where you want to share files or printers. A router does address translation, which is required for multiple pc's to share a single dsl or cable internet connection. The isp will only assign you one ip address (unless you want to pay for more!) and a router will allow several pc's to share it, something a hub can not do.

well actually you dont have to use a router, you could use a switch to share an internet connection too. (im using it as that now) and as for a hub, im sure they can share an internet connection but that the thing, share. if you use a hub if you have 2 comps on a network that one internet connection is being shared by both computers giving a half of a connection (in theory) to each comp. a router makes it easy to have more than one comp on a network because they can be assigned to do 'dynamic routing' i think its called (or 'dynamic addressing' or something like that) and it has the router do the addressing of the comps itself. in contrast there is 'static routing' and thats where an administrator assigns IP addresses to each comp(and this is where you can use a switch and save yourself up to around $70).

In addition, routers like those from Linksys also provide a built in FireWall that can be enabled to block hackers on the internet from accessing your systems. Without such a router or a good firewall program (which costs almost as much as a real good router) it is possible to crash your system from the internet. I got a router, because pings and probes were crashing my system when I used programs that were accessing the internet.