Why are hubs considered rare in modern networks?

Hubs are considered rare in modern networks primarily due to their functionality and the way they manage data traffic within a network. When multiple systems connected to a hub attempt to send data simultaneously, the hub broadcasts this data to all connected devices. This leads to collisions and interference, which can cause significant network congestion and degraded performance, particularly in environments with high data traffic.

In contrast, modern networking technologies have evolved to use switches instead, which intelligently direct data packets only to the intended recipient device. This capability greatly reduces chances of collision, which allows for more efficient communication within a network. Additionally, switches can handle higher bandwidth and provide more advanced features than hubs, making them far more suitable for today’s complex networking demands.

While there are other reasons for the rarity of hubs, such as their lower efficiency compared to switches, the critical issue of interference that occurs with simultaneous data transmission underscores why they are considered outdated in contemporary networking setups.