ethernet cable help

[GiggleGirl]

sooooo, is there such a thing as like an ethernet cable splitter? im looking for something to plug into a cable modem with an attachment to hook up two computers (laptops).... kinda like a telephone splitter you put in the wall. im sure you get what i mean....

anything like that out there? oh, and where can i buy???

 

[mechBgon]

Yeah, get a router such as this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16833124001

 

[GiggleGirl]

is that my only option??

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: GiggleGirl
is that my only option??

If your cable modem were willing to dole out more than one IP address, you could use a switch or hub instead of a router. But your cable modem probably won't play that game.

The other option would be to use Internet Connection Sharing, where one computer is connected to the modem and the other computer is connected to the first computer, which acts as a middleman to fetch whatever the second computer wants fetched. To do this, the "gateway" computer must have two network adapters, and obviously it has to be running for the other computer to be able to reach the Internet.

Since the router not only can split your connection among up to 253 computers, but also provides your computers with a perimeter firewall to keep hackers and worms away, I vote for the router.

 

[redbeard1]

Originally posted by: mechBgon

Since the router not only can split your connection among up to 253 computers, but also provides your computers with a perimeter firewall to keep hackers and worms away, I vote for the router.

Getting your computer behind a router should be a priority for you, if only for the security aspect of protecting your system from what lurks on the internet. It also easily solves getting multiple computers on the internet.

 

[GiggleGirl]

the reason i was asking was that i was going to a friends house who doesnt have a router and we both just wanted to be connected to the internet. i figured if there was a quick solution then i would use it! lol

thanks guys!

 

[Porter21]

I agree with mechbgon

I would just buy a hub. It's a lot more simple then a router/switch but should do the job for what you need.
http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-...&qid=1245874003&sr=1-7

 

[jackschmittusa]

A hub won't do it. Hubs are for LANs.

 

[Porter21]

It will work man

 

[mechBgon]

A hub will split the connection, but if you want TCP/IP communication with the outside world and the modem's only rigged to provide one IP address, that's where the problem is. A router will take the modem's one IP address and use network address translation to allow up to 253 computers to share that one IP address.

Plus the router provides firewall protection :thumbsup: and that's quite useful in today's world. I recall connecting my PC directly to Comcast high-speed Internet and using the logging feature of the Windows Firewall, and it logged something like 56 thousand probes in one day. Talk about a cesspool... let 'em hammer on the router, that's what I say

 

[Porter21]

Ya I'm saying if you have a router it's fine

 

[Andrew1990]

Well if one of your PCs has 2 ethernet ports, then you could bridge the connections to get both connected to the net.

I do this when a friend is over as my router is down stairs. I got one cable coming to my computer and then I send out the 2nd cable from an extra NIC card I have installed and just bridge the connection.



It works good enough when you need it to.

 

[RebateMonger]

Running a home PC on the Internet without a router is a really bad idea nowadays. Routers are dirt-cheap, add greatly to security, and most have multiple Ethernet ports, allowing multiple PCs to be hooked up with no other equipment or software.

Note that SOME cable modems have a router built in. You can quickly tell by identifying the IP address of the client PC. If the IP is 192.xxx.xxx.xxx or 10.xxx.xxx.xxx or 172.xxx.xxx then there's a router built into the cable modem. If there's a built-in router and you need more Ethernet ports, then a simple SWITCH will provide those extra ports.

 

[GiggleGirl]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
Running a home PC on the Internet without a router is a really bad idea nowadays. Routers are dirt-cheap, add greatly to security, and most have multiple Ethernet ports, allowing multiple PCs to be hooked up with no other equipment or software.

Note that SOME cable modems have a router built in. You can quickly tell by identifying the IP address of the client PC. If the IP is 192.xxx.xxx.xxx or 10.xxx.xxx.xxx or 172.xxx.xxx then there's a router built into the cable modem. If there's a built-in router and you need more Ethernet ports, then a simple SWITCH will provide those extra ports.

oooh very helpful info! thanks!

 

[Porter21]

Very nicely written!