What is a significant advantage of using switches over hubs in a network?

A significant advantage of using switches over hubs in a network is the reduction of collision domains.

In traditional hubs, all devices connected share the same bandwidth, which creates a single collision domain. This means that when two or more devices attempt to send data simultaneously, a collision occurs, requiring the data to be resent, which can lead to network congestion and inefficiency.

Switches, on the other hand, intelligently manage data traffic by creating separate collision domains for each connected device. When a switch receives a data packet, it examines the destination MAC address and forwards the packet only to the specific port leading to the intended device. This reduces the overall number of collisions since traffic is isolated to the particular devices communicating at that moment, enhancing network efficiency and performance.

While other options may have their merits—like speed improvements or cost considerations—these are not primary features derived from the fundamental operational differences between switches and hubs. The dominant improvement in performance due to reduced collision domains is what makes switches generally the preferred choice in modern network designs.