Which device can be viewed as a more advanced form of a hub?

A switch can be viewed as a more advanced form of a hub because it operates at a higher layer of the OSI model. While a hub operates at Layer 1 (Physical Layer), transmitting incoming data packets to all connected devices without consideration of where the packet is intended to go, a switch functions at Layer 2 (Data Link Layer).

This allows a switch to recognize the MAC addresses of devices on the network. As a result, a switch can intelligently forward data packets only to the specific device for which the data is intended, rather than broadcasting it to all connected devices. This targeted approach improves network efficiency and bandwidth utilization, reducing unnecessary traffic compared to a hub’s method.

In comparison, devices like routers, gateways, and firewalls serve different purposes such as routing data between different networks, translating protocols, and providing security, respectively. Their functions do not align with the basic data forwarding capabilities a switch provides, which enhances its role as an advanced version of a hub.