Networking Device and Protocols

3. Hubs in the OSI and TCP/IP Models

OSI Model:

Physical Layer (Layer 1): Hubs operate exclusively at Layer 1, dealing with electrical/optical signals and physical connections.

Function: Transmits raw bits without interpreting data (no MAC address awareness).

Example: Relaying signals through Ethernet cables or fiber optics.

TCP/IP Model:

Link Layer: Hubs operate at the Physical component of the Link layer, handling signal transmission but not data link functions like framing or MAC addressing (handled by NICs).

Example: Broadcasting Ethernet signals to all connected devices.