A technician is searching through a storage locker and finds a hub. What is the purpose of this device?

The purpose of a hub, like the one found by the technician, is to be a legacy device that connects end devices and where traffic from one connected device floods out to every other connected device. A hub is a basic networking device used in early network designs, functioning at the physical layer of the OSI model. When it receives a packet of data at one of its ports, it broadcasts that data to all other ports, regardless of which device the data is intended for. This can lead to inefficiencies and security concerns, as every device on the network receives all the data, and only the intended recipient processes it further. Due to these limitations, hubs have largely been replaced by more advanced network switches.

The other options describe different network devices or functions:

• It uses radio waves to provide network access to wireless devices: This describes wireless access points or routers, which are used for creating wireless networks.
• It is a device whose sole purpose is to connect end devices and to microsegment a LAN: This is a description of a network switch. Switches are more advanced than hubs and can intelligently direct traffic to specific devices, reducing network congestion and improving security.
• It connects networks and forwards traffic to remote networks by using IP addressing information: This is a function of a router, which routes data packets between different networks.