Hub Confusion

Hello. I am running a new Dell Dimension 2400 with WinXP and a Broadcom 440x network card. I am able to connect to the internet directly through the modem or through our one-port linksys router. However, if I run the connection from the router through the 5 port Compaq hub the lights on the hub begin to blink like crazy and inevitably, my internet connection goes down. If I remove my computer from the hub and plug in other machines there is no problem. It appears as if my computer is constantly sending data. I would think that this is sign of a a spyware program infection, but the problem began as soon as the computer was unpacked. Not surprisingly, Dell's assistance has proved less than helpful.

Any insight into why this is happening would be greatly appreciated. Can a hub (which is basically a switch, right?) conflict with other hardware.

Thanks, in advance, for your assistance.

Firstly, it would be a good idea to check for viruses / adware / spyware etc. Just search google and you'll find lots of free resources.

Secondly, if it's only happening with the one new Dell computer, perhaps it has a hardware problem. Try it with a different network card, and try plugging the computer into a different port on the hub.

In response to your question, I've never really heard of hubs conflicting with other hardware, unless they have a physical fault.

A hub is similar to a switch, but not exactly the same. When a hub receives data from one computer, it sends the data to all other computers. When a switch receives data, it knows what computers are attached to the individual ports, so only sends the data to the correct machine.

Thanks for your quick reply. I appreciate your assistance.

That's no problem.

Have you got anywhere with troubleshooting the network?