Question about a Hub

[Computerlady]

I want to hook my laptop to my desktop's cable modem. The cable company said I need a hub.
I found this one Hub Link at Amazon. Is this what I'm looking for? Will I need anything else to make this work?
Thanks!

 

[Gunbuster]

If you dont need the laptop to be able to talk to the desktop, just unplug the ethernet from the desktop and plug it into the laptops ethernet port

 

[Mikal]

For my money, the easiest way is still to use a Cable/DSL router like this one: Router

You can find it for around $100 on sale at Bestbuy, Compusa and so on.
I've got my home network set up and 3 pc's sharing one cable modem through it.

 

[Computerlady]

According to the cable company I am not allowed to use a router, it must be a hub. I am only allowed to hook two computers to the connection.

I want both the desktop and the laptop to share the cable connection at the same time, kind of a mini network? It would be nice to be able to share files from one to another also......

 

[SPAnDAU]

I'll expand on Gunbuster's post.

If you want both systems to access the internet at the same time and want both systems to talk you will need a hub and two patch cables.

If you only want one system to access the internet at a time the just do as Gunbuster said and unplug the cable from the back of the pc and plug it into the laptop.

 

[Mikal]

Um, the cable company is not going to know what you have hooked up. The router is specifically made for sharing a cable or dsl connection. Even has a firewall built in.

 

[thorin]

Although a router is a perfect solution, you only really need a Hub to accomplish having both systems online at the same time. (The difference put simply that Routers to active traffic handling, and hubs to passive traffic handling).

Thorin

 

[Hoober]

A router takes the signal from the cable modem and splits it across your network to however many computers you have hooked up to the router. A hub or switch will do the same thing, but there's really a HUGE difference between the two devices. A router hides the number of computers you have connected to it -- so that, to the cable company, it looks like you only have one computer hooked up to their network. You can still share files and the interenet (cable modem) connection but the cable provider only sees one computer.

A hub will allow you to share files and the internet connection from your cable modem, but it lets the cable company see EXACTLY how many computers you have hooked up to their network. That way, they can charge you for each computer hooked up to the network.

I would recommend the router because it gives you more flexibility within your home network, and it masks your computers. The only thing the cable company sees is the information that the router sends it.

 

[SPAnDAU]

To do as you want to do then the hub you linked to is the right product. You will also need two patch cables. (These are the same thing that is going from the cable modem to your pc.) Just plug the patch cable from the cable modem to the uplink port on the hub, plug the patch cables from the pc and notebook to the hub and that's all taken care of.

There is some network configuration that you will also need to do as well. You can come back here and we'll help you out with that too.

 

[Mikal]

Hoober, I was about to explain that! Thanks!

 

[SPAnDAU]

One of the things you will want to keep in mind is this; if your cable company says you are not allowed to use a router they will not support you if you call for help. All they will say is "You have a router?? Oh, well then I'm afraid I can't help you." Click.

 

[Mikal]

Well, it's easy enough to unplug the router, plug the cable modem back in to the desktop and see what the deal is.

 

[Computerlady]

You guys are great! Thanks for all the help, I'm off to order my hub and patch cables and will come back here for help when I'm ready to hook em up!

 

[SPAnDAU]

Computerlady: Does the normal monthly cost of you internet connection include the ability to connect two computers to the internet at the same time? If it does then the minimum amount of equipment you will need is the hub and two patch cables.

This is the easiest way to do what you want to do.

If you have to pay for the extra connection then a router is a good idea. The challenge with these routers is that they are relatively easy for computer guys to setup but the average home user could have some hair pulling challenges. And if you are having difficulties connecting to the internet it can be a real pain in the a$s to disconnect the modem from the router and plug it into the computer.

Routers are more expensive than hubs, for example a Netgear RT314 router would cost you about $110-120.