Which device has multiple ports, operates at 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps, and can experience data collisions?

The device that has multiple ports, operates at speeds between 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps, and is prone to data collisions is a hub. Hubs are networking devices that connect multiple Ethernet devices, making them operate as a single network segment. They transmit data packets to all ports regardless of the destination, which can lead to collisions when two devices attempt to send data simultaneously. This collision occurs because the hub does not have the capability to intelligently forward data to a specific device; instead, it broadcasts it to all connections.

Hubs function within the physical layer of the OSI model and operate at legacy speeds such as 10 Mbps (standard Ethernet) and 100 Mbps (Fast Ethernet). As traffic increases and more devices are connected, the likelihood of collisions also increases, resulting in network inefficiencies and reduced performance. In contrast, other devices like switches intelligently direct data only to the destination device, significantly reducing the chances of collisions and overall improving network efficiency.