An ethernet hub is used to connect two or more computers and other devices in a local area network. It is commonly used in offices and homes where in two or more devices are meant to files efficiently. For a small office or a home, a passive ethernet hub is typically used to connect all the devices together.
A passive ethernet hub is a type of hub that basically allows interconnectivity and practically nothing else. As earlier mentioned, it is ideal for home use because it can only accommodate a limited amount of shared information without bogging down the whole network. Before you go and buy this type of ethernet hub, make sure that you're only going to use it for a few computers. It's also best to determine how many computers you're going to connect using the hub so as to ensure that you're actually getting the right one for your office.
The good thing about passive ethernet hubs is that you can use them in conjunction with intelligent or active hubs. In case you need to get more than just interconnectivity, you can just install an active hub in the future. Passive hubs are typically used only to keep all the cables organized by making them originate from only one source. This makes physical maintenance a lot more convenient. They are called passive since because they do not modify the signals that they are supposed to be passing along. In essence, whatever electrical signal passes into the hubs will be the same thing that is broadened to the whole network. It is not amplified unlike with active hubs.