[AthlonXP1800]

Originally Posted by Rakeesh

Anyways, why would netgear make hubs? There is no need to anymore. Switches render them entirely obsolete. I can't imagine there being any market for a hub, when switches first came around you used hubs because switches were more expensive. However switches are so cheap now that hubs are pushed entirely out of the market, because you can't produce them cheap enough to make a profit.

Why would all big companies like Netgear, Cisco, D-Link etc make hubs you asked? ISPs in the markets all over worldwide send custom designs that meet the specification customers required companies to manufacture for them because hubs are far cheaper, most energy efficient, combined all 3 in one product to save space. Hubs are here to stay, they will not pushed entirely out of the market because companies make money from manufactured Hubs for ISPs.

If companies stopped made hubs years ago then in today standard I would bought 3 things needed Netgear DOCSIS 3.0 CMD31T cable modem support upto 150Mb broadband cost £58.68 with 7.5W power consumption, Netgear GS600 5 port gigabit ethernet switches cost £26.77 with 8W power consumption and Netgear WN802T 300Mb Wireless N Access Point cost £75.76 with 18W power consumption. Total cost £161.21, total 33.5W power consumption and used alots of space.

My Virgin Media Super Hub VMDG480 is based on custom designed Netgear CG3101D created from CG3100, it has DOCSIS 3.0 built-in cable modem with support upto 300Mb broadband, 4 port gigabit ethernet switches, 300Mb Wireless N router and hardware firewall cost only £30 with power consumption of only just 13W and use very small space.

I am very glad to get it free with £50 installation fee for 30Mb broadband, Super Hub and 500GB tivo free at no extra cost. Wireless speed was absolutely fantastic at 27Mb on Samsung Galaxy S II than dismayed 0.8Mb on 8 years old ancient Linksys wireless B router and 17Mb on ipod touch 4 than 2.8Mb. Saved me from considered purchased Netgear WNDR4500 wireless-N900 dual band gigabit router for £150 sale price (£200 at full price) back in January sale but I abandoned it after heard about next generation Netgear R6300 wireless AC dual band gigabit router that probably will cost £200 at launch.

Thankfully I didnt get either for £200, now I am sure you will realised the real reason hubs are far much cheaper and more future proof than buy 3 very expensive things that use the exactly same features as in a hub at very affordable price.