Hub? Router? Help!

[ElNiNoSt0rM]

Hey everyone!

I recently moved into college at Penn State University (Go Lions!) Anyway, I was wondering about something. Back home, we have a Linksys router in our basement which is connected to the downstairs computer. From there, a wire is routed upstairs into a hub (is it also called a switch?) that subsequently feeds into 2 other computers upstairs (from the hub). Here at college, I have a WALL jack that is female for a CAT5 cable which works fine when solely used for my desktop. Could I, in theory, buy a cheap switch and plug one network cable into the wall from the switch, and then a desktop and laptop both coming from the switch as well? It'd pretty much be: Switch, cable from switch to wall, 2 computers from available ports on switch. Would that work? I've never dealt with a situation where I don't have access to the modem. Would a router be required? Thanks for any input on the situation.

-Matt

 

[Sparky Anderson]

A switch or hub would be easiest. Switches are "smarter" than hubs but you won't really notice a difference, so just buy whatever's cheapest.

 

[ElNiNoSt0rM]

Thanks for the reply!

Anyway, the situation here is a tad unique. To receive an internet connection, you have to register your ethernet address on their ResCom site (http://www.rescom.psu.edu), so only the computer registered will have a working connection. Will a hub still work to "split" that so that it works on my laptop? I've been considering it and it doesn't sound like it will. I already have my desktop registered for the specific jack in my dorm room.

-Matt

 

[deftech]

Maybe...
A hub or switch will let you split that jack in the wall, that's for sure. Now you just have to register your laptop and see if it works. They may not let you have more than one connection.

If that's the case you could set your PC up as a proxy or nat server, then use it for your laptop to get out, but that gets more complicated.

 

[Sparky Anderson]

If they limit it, I would think you could use a router and just register the router's MAC address...

 

[ElNiNoSt0rM]

Ah yes, very true. I just don't have the $$$ for a router at the moment, though. Ah well. Hopefully the hub will work. I doubt it, but it was worth $15 or whatever it was.

-Matt

 

[Slowlearner]

Wireless b routers are very cheap <20$, get one turn off clone MAC address, DHCP and use as a wired switch - they have 4 wired ports.