The hub is the center of a network. All computers need to be attached to the hub via the network cable. The hub is the center of a network. All computers need to be attached to the hub via the network cable. Hubs come in 10Mbps or 100Mbps.
Most hubs designed for consumer use have between four and eight ports.
One thing to note however, is that this rated bandwidth is shared across all computers attached to the hub. In other words, if one computer is generated 5Mbps of network traffic, there is only 5Mbps left for all the other computers to work with. A switch is basically a hub that allows each port to function at 10Mbps or 100Mbps independantely of the other ports. Switches are generally more expensive than hubs, and aren't generally used by most home users. They do offer a good starting point, and ensure you will have everything needed to build a two-computer network, while offering future expandability.