Hardware Masters has posted an article on "Hubs, Switches, and good old Routers".

Networks are becoming rather complex. Most home networks are very primitive and probably consist of several computers attached to a hub. The home networks that use switches instead of hubs are more likely administered by someone in the Information Technology field. And least likely, a home network would have a router. Most configurations that use routers more than likely have a direct connection to the Internet, such as Cable or xDSL. Dial-up users can also purchase a router that splits a telephone connection, but the speed of dial-up connections are so slow compared to direct connection, it may not even be worth it. Most corporations are using
combinations of routers and switches to network all of the computers
together. As the technology progresses in the next few years, more
networking products and faster connection speeds will become more common in corporations and even some home networks.

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