8/27/05 Routers, switches, and hubs, oh my!

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Right

by WilliamKazak Aug 26, 2005 12:29AM PDT

I am cat 6 cables right now. I have been using the 10/100 nic cards for years, so I suppose that looks like the problem. Thanks for the tips. I have never seen the 10/1000 although I was at Best Buy and someone was talking about a speed booster of some kind.
I generally would research what they have to say real thoroughly.

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Please clarify...

by Tekamba Aug 26, 2005 2:14AM PDT

In your question it sounded like you were transferring files between 2 hard drives located in the same PC. If that is the case you won't find anything on the networking side of things to compare. Gigabit ethernet will definitely help things along, but the true throughput across the network will still be slower than anything internal to your PC.
Greg

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Right Again

by WilliamKazak Aug 26, 2005 2:28AM PDT

Nothing in my background prepared me to know this but
I definitely noticed that within the same computer running multiple HD's,it was much faster transferring huge files of pictures then when I was doing it across the network router to the other computer.
My HD's are 7200 rpm but I suppose part of that is the bus speed and controllers on the Motherboard.

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Hard Drive tranffer speeds

by andrey_1986 Aug 26, 2005 9:14AM PDT

The speed between hard drives in the same pc doesn't have much to do with how fast they spin, unless these are extremely huge files (tens to hundreds of gigs). It all depends on the type of hard drive you have SATA, IDE, SCI, etc. SATA can do 1.5gbps and sata2 can do 3gbps. IDE usually do 1.33 gbps.

If I got something wrong please correct me, :lol:

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Network speed

by cdgoldin! Aug 27, 2005 4:03PM PDT

>"I have been using the 10/100 nic cards for years, so I suppose that looks like the problem. Thanks for the tips. I have never seen the 10/1000 although I was at Best Buy and someone was talking about a speed booster of some kind. I generally would research what they have to say real thoroughly."

1) As posted, inter-computer communication over a 10/100 network is considerably slower than intra-computer communication from one hard-drive to another. Even if the (theoretical) network transmission speed was the same as the computer's internal speeds, the intra-computer communications would probably still win out because of buffering considerations.

2) In my experience, ''Best Buy'' neither has the best prices, nor the best products, nor (anything approaching) the best product service. They are typically selling components which are both over-priced and virtually obsolete, and their ''service'' departments are often incompetent and dishonest.

If you feel the need for 10/100/1000 inter-computer transfers, try www.newegg.com for low-priced state-of-the-art components. Another avenue to examine is the 400 Mbs capabilities of USB 2.0

But why? I do my backups (typically 2-3 GB per machine) over a 10/100 network, and this is certainly fast enough for me.

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Routers and Switches...Oh My!!!

by rkushnier Aug 26, 2005 12:00AM PDT

They say that great minds think alike...either that or we both watched ''The Wizard of OZ'' one too many times...

Check out:

http://www.pacswinsig.org/forums/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=36

Originally Posted June 02, 2003

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Great minds? Or twisted?

by Tekamba Aug 26, 2005 2:11AM PDT

I am not sure how some of those thoughts get into my head, but I have found it is usually best to get them out as quick as possible once they are there!
That is almost scary, you wrote that almost 2 years ago too.
Greg

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Routers, switches, and hubs

by rodes Aug 26, 2005 1:42AM PDT

That is the best explanation of the various devices for networking that I have read. Thanks for a great article. Joe

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Routers etc.

by edtrimm Aug 27, 2005 4:13AM PDT

*snert* I took my AA in networking and I STILL don't know what the heck I"m doing. All right, I know, I'm ignorant...but I'm also right-brained -- or is that left-brained. If there's no logical intuitiveness to it, I don't get it.

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Honorable mentions

by Lee.Koo Aug 24, 2005 8:50AM PDT

Answer:

Andrew, all that terminology can certainly be confusing, especially when there's no reason to use most of it. For your home, you need a router, plain and simple. A switch, and a hub, are necessary on larger networks - they're essentially bridges on a network, connecting multiple parts of a network together, but don't provide the function of a network router, which is important to you.

A router functions as a "gateway" to the internet. It sends information from any of its connected computers, to the internet, and recieves information from the internet, and decides which computer it should go to. In the simplest sense, a "router" connects two networks, yours and the internet, while a "hub" or a "switch" connects two computers in a network.

Most routers in the modern day actually provide both functions, fortunately, limiting the hardware you have to buy to a single item, plus one card for each computer. They also usually have firewalls built-in to them, although you should check the specs of the routers to make sure. It's not a bad idea to have both hardware (router) firewall, and software (operating system) firewalls, running - if you decide one computer is a 'gaming' computer and needs more open ports, while one is your 'banking' computer and needs ultimate security, this allows you to do that. Windows XP fortunately comes with a built-in software firewall, so you don't need to buy anything else.

What hardware you buy depends on how you are setting up your network. A "wired" network simply requires each computer have an ethernet port (which many have built-in, but if not you can buy as an expansion card for about $10-$20). You also buy a wired router, which will run you about $30-$40, or a wireless router for $50 or so if you prefer flexibility - most wireless routers have at least 4 connecting ports for ethernet cords. Then plug the cords into the router, plug the router into the DSL modem, and set up the router using its set-up software - and you're done! Piece of cake.

A wireless network is not much more complicated, until you get into security features. You need to buy a wireless card for each computer that is connecting via wireless, and an ethernet port must be on any computer that will be wired in directly. One computer should be wired, if possible, to allow more secure options to be set (such as requiring only a wired connection be able to set router options). It helps if you buy all from the same manufacturer, but it's not required - wireless networking is very much a standardized business, and LinkSys cards will connect to a DLink router, etc. They simply have more similar set-up options that can make that a bit easier, if they're made by the same company. Then, buy a wireless router, around $50 or more depending on what type you get (802.11b, 802.11g, Pre-N, etc.) - see other articles on CNET on how to choose which type to buy. After that, it's just a few set-up options on the router and on the individual computers, and you're set!

One last thing - your DSL modem. Although most DSL modems are simply that - modems - several companies now make DSL modems that include the functionality of a wireless router. Your DSL provider can tell you if that is an option for you. More than likely, this is a more expensive option than simply buying a separate router, but you may prefer to have fewer boxes and fewer plugs.

Submitted by: Joe M. of Chicago

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Answer:

Andrew,

I understand your confusion on the subject. There are a lot of devices out there. What's even more confusing is the devices that have multiple functions (the famous "All-in-one boxes"). In the SOHO (small office/home office) market these seem to be the most prolific of the devices that are available. An explanation about how each device works can help you understand how one of the All-In-One boxes work.

To understand some of this you need to have a little back ground in something called the OSI (Open Systems Interconnect) model. The OSI model provides "an open system networking environment where any vendor's computer system, connected to any network, can freely share data with any other computer system on that network or a linked network." as defined by Newton's Telecom Dictionary, 19th edition. Sounds like what we want to do right?
The OSI model has 7 levels but what we will be concerned with are the bottom 4, because the devices in question operate in the bottom 4 levels. Here are the 7 levels:

7 application
6 presentation
5 session
4 Transport
3 Network
2 Data link
1 Physical

"The physical layer conveys the bit stream - electrical impulse, light or radio signal -- through the network at the electrical and mechanical level. It provides the hardware means of sending and receiving data on a carrier, including defining cables, cards and physical aspects." This is the layer that Hubs operate on.

"The Data link layer provides the functional and procedural means to transfer data between network entities and to detect and possibly correct errors that may occur in the Physical layer. The addressing scheme is physical which means that the addresses (MAC-Media Access Control) are hard-coded into the network cards at the time of manufacture. The addressing scheme is flat. This is the layer at which bridges and switches operate. Connectivity is provided only among locally attached network nodes."

"The Network layer provides the functional and procedural means of transferring variable length data sequences from a source to a destination via one or more networks while maintaining the quality of service requested by the Transport layer. The Network layer performs network routing, flow control, segmentation/desegmentation, and error control functions. The router operates at this layer -- sending data throughout the extended network and making the Internet possible, although there are layer 3 (or IP) switches. This is a logical addressing scheme - values are chosen by the network engineer. The addressing scheme is hierarchical."

"The purpose of the Transport layer is to provide transparent transfer of data between end users, thus relieving the upper layers from any concern with providing reliable and cost-effective data transfer. The transport layer controls the reliability of a given link. Some protocols are stateful and connection oriented. This means that the transport layer can keep track of the packets and retransmit those that fail. The best known example of a layer 4 protocol is TCP."

Now I've given you a little information and you're probably wondering, " How does this relate?" Well, let me elaborate a little.

A Hub is a Physical Layer device that repeats EVERYTHING it receives to all ports. We call it a "dumb repeater". You can send information from one computer to another in this way. The problem with this being that if another computer sends a packet at the same time as your computer i.e they transmit at the same time you get a collision. Both computers then have to back off for a random amount of time and then retry their transmission. On a hub only one computer can talk at a time and all computers must talk at the same speed. A Hub creates what is called a collision domain , basically a place where packet collisions can happen. This is a very inefficient way of networking. The flow of information is restricted, kind of like a conference call. Only one device is allowed to "speak" at any given time. This is called "half duplex" meaning that only one device can speak at a time and then listen for the response.

A word about network interface cards (NICs) and packets/frames. NICs actually have a burned-in non-changeable address called a MAC address or Layer 2 address (see data link layer definition). There is also a user-definable IP address (a.k.a. Network address or layer 3 address) that can be statically assigned or assigned by the operating system (in your case windows XP) or by a DHCP server. When an ethernet frame is formed it includes several things:

An ethernet frame header with source and destination MAC addresses
The IP header with source and destination IP addresses
TCP/UDP headers
The information that needs to be sent across the network

Basically the ethernet NIC stacks these up like so:

ethernet header---IP header---TCP/UDP header---Information

Now back to our explanation of devices

A switch is more intelligent and efficient. It will read out of the layer 2 header, the source and destination MAC addresses. It records the source address into a table that correlates MAC address to the port. It then sends the frame only to the appropriate port. It does NOT repeat the frame to all ports. This means that each port becomes it's own collision domain. This solves any issues with collisions and retransmissions. If another port needs to talk to a port that is busy then the information is passed to a buffer memory block for that port. This also allows the ports to have different speeds i.e. one port can be 10baseT and another port can be 100baseTX and they can still talk. Additionally the switch usually allows for full-duplex operation. Full duplex operation means the NIC in your computer can transmit and receive at the same time (with half duplex you could only transmit or receive but not both at the same time). This means you can send twice as much information. Theoretically, with 100baseTX this would mean 200Mbps. A switch will generally pass traffic from port to port at full wire speed.

A router or Layer 3 switch actually looks a little deeper. The router will strip the ethernet header off the frame and then read the source and destination IP addresses in the IP header. It then checks it's routing table for which port the IP address is located out of and forwards the packet to that interface or "next hop" router. The router (and most firewalls) can also read the TCP or UDP header for the packet (it is layer 4 aware). Routers are generally used to connect Local Area Networks (LANs) to the Wide Area Network (WAN). Since the WAN connection is usually slower you will typically get less than wirespeed from the LAN interface (ethernet or token ring) to a WAN interface (such as serial, T1, ISDN, DSL). Usually a router is also able to do other functions above and beyond just routing including access control lists, NAT (network address translation), PAT (port address translation- sometimes referred to as NAT overload) ,DHCP etc.

A firewall is also a device that can look into L2/L3/L4 headers and make decisions. There are several different types of firewall:

Packet Filtering firewall (a.k.a. Access control list firewall)
NAT firewall-firewalls that use NAT/PAT as their primary defense.
Stateful inspection firewall- inspects all inbound packets for malformed packets
Proxy firewall- Using a proxy server as a type of firewall
Transparent firewall- Is a Layer 2 type firewall designed for LAN-to-LAN firewalling where NAT and routing is not taking place

Generally you have at least 2 ports on a firewall and sometimes many more. You will usually have an untrusted (or outside) port (usually ethernet), and a trusted (or inside) port (also usually ethernet). There is also a third type of port called a DMZ port that can be used for devices and servers that need to be internet facing. e.g a web server or FTP server.

The best types of firewalls include multiple functions such as stateful inspection, NAT, and packet filtering. Unfortunately usually a firewall on SOHO type devices is a combination of NAT/packet filtering. It's not all bad though. This can still be used effectively to protect your computers from attack in many cases.

Now combining the Switch, router and firewall functions into an all-in-one type device would give you (on most SOHO devices) a firewalled WAN ethernet port to connect to your DSL or cable modem and 4-inside ports on a LAN side switch that are NATed to the outside public IP address (on the WAN port). Usually these devices include a DHCP server that automatically assign your LAN IP addresses and the WAN port acts as a DHCP client and pulls an IP address from your ISP. This will allow you to send traffic across your private internal network and share your internet connection. An example of equipment is a Linksys BEFSX41 or Netgear FR114PNA. Sometimes manufacturers also include a wireless access point in the mix e.g. Linksys WRT54G or D-link DL-524.

You can split the functionality into 2 or 3 devices. However, this will cost you more as you would need to buy a router, a firewall, and a switch and is usually a MUCH more complicated installation and configuration. OR you might buy a router/switch combination and install firewall software on each computer. (I don't consider the firewall on windows XP SP2 to be adequate for the job). I wouldn't suggest this, because it leaves your network open to hacking even if you have a good firewall software on each computer (such as Zone Labs' Zone Alarms personal firewall, or Norton Internet Security, or Mcafee Personal Firewall) and the cost of the firewall software may become prohibitive as well.

With the functionality and ease of setup on the new SOHO devices I would suggest a router/firewall/switch combination at this point for your network. At a later time you should be able to add another switch for any expansion you may have and you can get some router/firewall/switch combinations that include wireless AP functionality (remember to secure wireless if you use it or if you don't, turn it off ). I would also suggest that you still run spyware/adware-detection software and antivirus software on each computer.

Hope this helps!!!

Submitted by: Nathan H.

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Answer:

To set up the very simplest network at home, all you need is a 'cross-over' cable and two computers, each equipped with a network interface card (NIC). This can be a convenient way to transfer information from an older machine to a newer one. You can purchase a network cross over cable at any store that sells computer cables.

However, since you mentioned 3 machines and internet connection sharing, we must create a full network. The old way of doing this, is to use a 'hub', and 3 lengths of networking cable. A hub has no intelligence to speak of; all the lines are electrically connected to each other, and a signal that is present on any one of the lines, is replicated on all of them. Hence, if you are sending a signal from computer 1 to computer 2, that signal will travel from computer 1 to the hub, where it will be replicated on the line going to computer 2... AND on the line going to computer 3. (When the unwanted signal arrives at computer 3, the NIC card looks at it, determines that it is not intended for computer 3... and ignores it.) As you can see, a hub can create an awful lot of unnecessary network traffic.

Routers, by comparison, have some built in intelligence. When you send a signal from computer 1 to computer 2, it travels from computer 1 to the router. The router then looks at the signal, determines that it's intended for computer 2, and sends it out along ONLY the line intended for computer 2.

At one time, in the dim, distant past... like, a few years ago... hubs were cheap, and routers were very expensive. Now, you can buy a deluxe, wireless home router for $40 or less. For this reason, routers have become the common choice in creating a home network, and sharing out an internet connection amongst computers. Hubs and switches are now pretty much legacy items.

I should also mention that routers provide a cable input as well, which can be used for sharing an internet connection out to all computers connected to the router. However, some - not all - broadband Internet Service Providers restrict the number of IP addresses that can connect to the internet through the connection they rent to you. (An IP, or Internet Protocol, address is simply a string of numbers which uniquely identifies your computer on the internet. Just as your house number uniquely identifies your house, your IP address uniquely identifies your computer.) Since the router will have it's own unique IP address, you may need to contact your ISP and ask them to add the routers IP address to the list. Alternately, some modern routers have a function whereby they can 'clone' your existing computer IP address, which gets around this problem.

Regarding firewalls, many network professionals consider that a router is a pretty effective firewall, in that it contains a unique IP address that looks like your computer, but is not. On the systems I configure, I also activate the Windows XP firewall (and when I'm working with older operating systems, I use Zone Alarm.) This gives you an extra layer of protection; and in the world of computers, there is nothing remotely resembling too much security.

It is common these days for routers to include a wireless option; that is, if you have a wireless network interface card on the computer, the router can communicate with it by means of a radio broadcast, thus eliminating the cable. It is increasingly common to see manufacturers include wireless network cards built into both portable computers and even PDAs. As a result, this can be a very convenient way of connecting your new laptop or PDA to the network; you can surf the net while lounging on the patio, without ever having to string a cable.

However, it's important to remember the 'B' word: Broadcast. When you broadcast a signal with a wireless router, two bad things can happen. First, your internet communications can be intercepted and viewed by a third party. Second, a third party can access your network, thus gaining access to your computers, and to the internet if your machine is connected. This has become a common method of access for people that want to do Bad Things on the internet - say, launch a new virus, or look at child pornography. There have even been cases where Bad People have created a hidden folder and stored illegal files - typically, the most obscene child pornography imaginable - on a targetted home computer, without the owners knowledge. And when the FBI traces the illegal surfing back to find the originating computer, guess whose computer they trace it to? Yep - your computer. Try and explain THAT one to your wife, your boss, or your minister. Of course, you could always let your lawyer do the explaining; you'll need an expensive lawyer anyway, to represent you in court on the inevitable - and very serious - charges.

By the way, many people believe that they're safe using a wireless network because networks only work over a sharply limited range - say, 300 feet. That's true if you're using the default antennas that come with the wireless network cards. But if you substitute a higher gain, directional antenna - and there are many designs easily available on the net, some of which can be made with nothing more than a Pringles potato chip can and a bit of wire, tape and glue - you can dramatically increase the range. I think the unofficial hackers record is something over 20 miles, but I haven't checked lately. Suffice to say, even a modestly talented amateur can find your signal from many blocks away.

You can keep your network secure by doing two things. First, enable data encryption on the router; the exact method varies from router to router, but it's explained in the instruction manual. Basically, you supply a password, and without that password, it is (almost) impossible to connect to the network - or view the encrypted data stream. The second thing you should do is apply a filter that will restrict the network to accept connections from a listed set of MAC addresses only. A MAC address is a kind of 'serial number' built into the network interface card on your computer. By telling the router to accept connections from only those MAC addresses in the specified lookup table, you prevent outside computers from connecting, even if they do manage to guess your network password. Again, the instructions for applying these - and other - filters are in the instruction manual that came with the router.

There is no such thing as impenetrable security; but by doing these two things, you can make your home network so difficult to penetrate that a bad guy will throw up his hands, and go after an easier target. There are lots of easier targets, after all; not everyone reads CNET.

So, to summarise: the most practical way to create a small network is to use a router, not a switch or a hub. Internet connection sharing is easily achieved with a modern router. Wireless routers are common, inexpensive and very convenient, but they carry potentially disastrous security considerations with them; and you MUST apply the correct security precautions in order to use them safely. Don't depend on the limited range to keep you safe. A router can provide much of the protection that a firewall provides; but I use a software firewall as well, simply to provide an additional layer of protection. The windows XP firewall is quite adequate.

I hope you enjoy your network!

Submitted by: Charles W.

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Answer:

What would work best for you would be a 4 port 10/100 Router, this will provide 3 connections, 1 for each of your systems and 1 for your modem (DSL/Cable). If you think you might want to hook up other items, you might want to invest in an 8 port variety - many things nowaday's can use it, such as game consoles, home entertainment systems, etc...

The different types of network devices you question are described briefly in laymans terms below:
? Hub: simple movement of data across a network, all connections share the same bandwidth. Does not in itself allow network communication as there is no 'Traffic director' (aka DHCP/DNS in technical terms). These have mostly been replaced in usage by switches, due to falling costs.
? Switch: Very similar to hubs, but allow direct connection between communicating systems. No 'Traffic Director' to allow general communication between systems.
? Router: Encompases the functionality of switches, with the addition of a 'Traffic director' which assigns addresses to connected systems so that they may communication. Most popular routers used at home nowadays also include a Firewall, which helps prevent unwanted communication to pass through in either direction, as desired.

Something else you might want to consider - Wireless, wireless routers are fairly inexpensive and allow the extra dimension of not requiring you to hardware your systems to the router, and the attendant drilling of holes, etc. involved (tends to make wifes happier). The current 802.11g standard is fairly fast (generally about 54MB/s) although speed will depend on distance, obstructions, etc... and again, many devices will be using this now and in the future. A side-benefit is expandibility, 802.11g allows for 254 connections, which should cover the needs of most home users.

One thing to remember however is that if you do use a wireless, be sure to enable security (WEP128 is fairly easy to set up and secure - there are many other options however), otherwise anyone can potentially gain access to your home systems and/or you internet connection.

Submitted by: Jeff L.

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Answer:

Andrew, it is confusing, but it is actually quite simple to put your system together - but there are several levels of simplicity.

A hub is conceptually just a splitter box. You plug in one Ethernet connection and it connects that cable to all the other plugs on the hub.
(It's actually more than just wires, but that's not important to understanding it.) It knows nothing about sources or destinations; you use it when you need to run a network cable to two or more places. Hubs provide no networking functionality for your DSL problem.

A router, on the other hand, is a major part of your DSL-based network.
Depending on the router, you may have to come to terms with what IP addresses are. Assuming that you have the type of DSL service that assigns itself an IP address automatically (this is called DHCP), things are simple.
Routers are devices that connects different computers together according to source and destination address. Your router will have one Internet (IP) address that the DSL line sees. This is because the DSL service can only work with one address at a time. The other connectors on the router make the connected computers look like they have the same address, thus "fooling"
the DSL into thinking there's just the one. However, each computer will think that it's looking at a unique address, because that's what computers want to do. That's it really.

A switch technically connects different networks together. It has become common to incorrectly say "switch" when "router" is meant but there is no harm done. Back in the days when "normal" (10MBps) Ethernet was about as common as "Fast" (100MBps) Ethernet, you would use a switch to connect devices of different speed together. Almost everything supports 100MBps Ethernet nowadays. But switches may make a comeback as people start mixing Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet. You will not have that problem at this time.

Most routers have hardware firewalls. This is good. But when they work with software firewalls, the firewalling can become too restrictive and you might not be able to connect to anything. I have not had this issue occur with Windows 2000 or XP, so I just leave all the firewalls on.

You'll have to configure your router. Most of the router installation programs will do this for you. My own SBC-branded equipment collected all of the pertinent information itself, and worked with zero problems on Mac, Win, and Linux. For other devices, the rule is to read the manual; configuration is usually simple, and most manufacturers have pretty good support, if you're willing to spend half an hour on hold!

Best of luck to you. You'll have a great experience once your system is up and running.

Submitted by: Thomas B.

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Answer:

Andrew,

I'll start by going after your first question, what's the difference between a router, a switch and a hub?

A router is simply a device that forwards data packets over the network. A packet is part or all of a message sent from a computer that includes the address of the computer it needs to go to (destination). A router is connected between two networks, in your case it would be connecting your three computers on a network of their own (also called a LAN or Local Area
Network) to the Internet. Routers are located at gateways which are just entrances to another network, in your case your DSL modem is the gateway to the Internet. To put all that mumbo jumbo in perspective, the gateway is like a toll booth and the router is the road leading to and from that toll booth.

A switch is a device that filters the packets between segments of a LAN.
This means that the switch looks at the data in the header of the packet and decides where it needs to go. The header of the packet tells network devices what computer sent it, what computer it is for and how much data is in the packet. Switches usually have several segments (also called subnets) connected to them. They forward packets to the right segment and keep them off segments they don't need to go to. This keeps the network from feeling like the congested roads in Florida during Spring Break.

A hub is just a common connection point for everything on a network segment.
In your case you will have just one segment (very simple). Hubs contain multiple ports and when a packet is received by the hub, it gets copied out over all the other ports. This means that every computer on the segment will get that packet, but only the computer it is addressed to will do anything with it. That said, plain hubs make for congested networks (the Florida Spring Break Syndrome) if there are a lot of packets going back and forth.

All that said, the dumber the device the cheaper it is. So it goes from Hub to Router to Switch (dumbest to smartest). The smarter the device, the more it tends to cost. However, the good news for you is that broadband routers (the kind for DSL and Cable Modem connections) are not very expensive these days. I would suggest that you get a good broadband router that also has network ports in it. I personally have a Cisco/Linksys router that also has wireless in it. Unless you plan on having a notebook with wireless networking built in or you are using wireless networking to connect your three computers together, you won't need a wireless model.

The answer to your next question - "do I need all of them?" You will be happy to know (as I also pointed out in the last paragraph), no you do not.
Today's broadband routers have many options and as I said before, some of them come with a set of ports built-in for networking. So I would say that a broadband router is all you will need there. In answer to your next question about firewalls, yes many of these units have firewalls in them as do many DSL modems. However, the DSL modems tend to have weak firewalls at best.

Many of the Cisco/Linksys models (not sure enough to say all of them) have firewalls built into them. Mine does and it made a big difference for me.
Even though these devices have firewalls built-in, it is still a good idea with the many threats popping up these days to have a software firewall as well. I know that Windows XP Professional has a firewall option included (not sure about Home edition). But you can also go to CNet's Download.com and look at the many options there - some are even free. One that I have seen spoken highly of a lot in many places, and I use at home, is Zone Alarm (www.zonelabs.com).

One last thing I would like to add is to read the startup information carefully and understand it before you jump into configuring your network.
Many of these devices come with a basic configuration so you can just plug and play. But if you read the instructions, you will find that there are more options available that allow you to change the defaults and improve security as well. As always, if you need help, the CNet community is here to help as best we can. I wish you all the best and I hope you have fun with and many returns on your network project.

Submitted by: Chris S. of Tucker, GA

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Answer:

First off, the good news is you don't need one for each computer.
That should make your bank account happy. While they all serve a similar purpose (linking several computers on a network) they are very different from each other.

A hub is the least sophisticated of them all. When data is sent over a network, there is a destination address for each packet of information. A hub is simply a central location where all the data is sent regardless of it's destination address. This data is then available to all the computers (ports) on that network.

A switch on the other hand, reads the destination address and sends it to the correct port (connection for another computer) so the data can get to it's destination more easily.

A router is the most advanced. Strictly speaking a router is used to connect multiple LANs (Local Area Networks) or a LAN and a WAN (Wide Area Network, i.e. Internet), but most today have a switch built in.
That allows them to be the backbone of your network and allow your network to connect to the Internet. These are basically little computers that route traffic not only among each of your computers but also to and from the Internet. They contain all the advantages of a switch, but usually offer a firewall and many other features as well.

As an example, this is how my network is setup. First I have a router. Mine has wireless built in so my friends and I can use it with our laptops without dragging a bunch or cables around. The router has a WAN connector on the back which is connected to the Internet, the other connectors are used one for each computer. A small router usually has 4 ports, which would be enough for your three computers. However you may need to add more later. This is where our old friend the switch can come in. I have a 5 port switch connected into one of the ports on the router. This allows 4 more computers to connect through the switch. I use a switch in this case because I want something to send the data to the correct port (not a hub), but I did not need or want another router. A router in this case could be more difficult to set up and is far more advanced then I needed (not to mention more money).

Submitted by: Jarrod R.

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Answer:

Andrew, you are not alone experiencing the confusion surrounding this subject, as most routers today combine the features and function of a router and switch/hub into a single unit. They may also embrace a built-in modem!
The functions of a router, hub, and switch, are actually quite different from each other, even if they are, at times, integrated into a single device. Each serves as a central connection for all of your network equipment, and handles the transmission of data frames in a different way.
A switch keeps a record of the Media Access Control (MAC) addresses of the devices connected to it, so it knows exactly which port to which the data is to be sent.
In a hub, the data frames are sent to every one of its ports, which places a lot of traffic on the network, and may lead to poor response times.
Routers, however, differ in that their duty is to route packets, which include their destination address, to other networks until they ultimately reach the target.
A router is typically connected to at least two networks, such as two LANs or WANs, or a LAN and its ISP's network. They are located at gateways, the place where two or more networks connect, and configure the best route between any two hosts.
All routers have a Wide Area Network (WAN) port, which connects to a DSL or cable modem for a broadband internet service, and the integrated switch allows users to easily create a LAN. Of course, some routers have wireless access points built into them, and many of them have a built-in, configurable, hardware based FIREWALL, with varying degrees of capabilities for this very necessary protection from the ever increasing number of parasites and malware out there on the web.
Simply put, a hub binds together an ethernet network segment, a switch is able to connect multiple ethernet segments more efficiently, and a router can achieve all of these functions , plus many others as required.
So, in your case, Andrew, a router, be it wireless or cabled, would seem the way to go.

Submitted by: John H.

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Answer:

Hi Andrew,

To answer your questions; A router is a device that interfaces, or connects, your network to the outside world, the internet. A router leases an IP address from your ISP (Internet Service Provider), and in turn allows you to access the internet. An IP (Internet Protocol) address can be equated to a physical address; there can be no two alike. A router can be stand alone, or incorporate a switch, what a switch is, I will explain shortly. The router can be responsible for issuing each computer on your network with an IP address. This is known as DHCP, Dynamic Host Control Protocol. Just like the internet, no two computers on your network can have the same address.

A switch is a device that contains several plug in ports, in order that you may physically connect to it, and in turn, if it is not incorporated into the router, connects to the router. More commonly than not, however, when you purchase one of the mainstream consumer routers, it will have as switch incorporated into it. A switch does much the same as hub, but it?s a bit more intelligent. What I mean by this is; when a switch receives a packet, destined for your computer, it will send directly to your computer. A hub will send that packet to every computer on your network, until it finds the one it was destined for.

Most of these same routers will allow you to incorporate a third-party firewall product by modifying some internal settings; however, this is usually not required. Windows XP firewall, which was made more robust with Service Pack 2, should be sufficient enough to protect your systems internally. Since your systems are already running Windows XP, they already have a firewall.

In a normal environment, all that is needed is a router, which incorporates a switch, a network interface card for each pc (if it does not already have one) and a data cable for each computer to connect to the switch. If running a cable to each computer is not possible, then I would recommend obtaining a router that also has wireless capabilities. You would then need a wireless adapter for each pc you do not intend to connect with a physical data cable. Be sure that when you purchase your components, that they are compatible. The two most common standards available are 802.11b and 802.11g. 802.11g is backwards compatible to 802.11b, the older standard, but 802.11b is not forward compatible to 802.11g. In other words, if your router is 802.11b, then it will not be able to communicate wirelessly, to an 802.11g wireless interface card.

I hope I?ve answered more questions than I?ve created. I wish you well in getting your network implemented.

Submitted by: Daniel F.

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Answer:

To Andrew C. of Lawrence, KS, question on Routers, Switches and Hubs:
As far as needing all 3 of routers, switches, and hubs ? depending on how/where you hood up all 3 machines ? are they in your home in different rooms, or in an office with different rooms, or in one large office within a few feet of each other? That?s where the routers/switches and hubs come in.
The router is like a gateway with 2 IP addresses ? one for the network (your machines), and one for the Internet ? and most routers are sold with two-way broadband Internet access devices [like a 2-way cable modem and fixed wireless broadband services or DSL lines. These then connect to the computer via a 10BASE-T Ethernet port ? so that is what you need to connect the router to. Routers also provide better firewall protection for all computers on the network if you don?t like leaving a computer on at all times to provide Internet access across your network. The best models for routers are Linksys models that can be configured to require networked PCs to be running specified firewall or antivirus protection software before Internet access is granted. Most common routers for broadband Internet access also contain a switch (so you don?t need an extra connection device here for your home network).

For hubs: hubs and switches can be used to connect the network and might have some common features, but their differences are also significant and its how you want to use them depends on if you need them. Two types of hubs (passive ? unpowered, and active ? used a power supply ? but both are NOT compatible with Ethernet ? so, if you have the Ethernet port to use for your router ? then DON?T use a hub. Hubs and switches are similar in that they connect computers on a UTP-based Ethernet network (all 3 of your machines, for example would need the UTP-based Ethernet network in order to ?network? with each other). But instead of broadcasting data (whatever one computer inputs data into, another one picks it up), to all computers in the network hub, switches use a feature called address storing ? it checks the destination for each data packet and sends it directly to the computer it?s intended for (sort of like a telephone call ? makes a direct connection between the originator of a call and the receiver). So, if you?re going to use your computers in that way ? then, yes, you?ll want both hubs and switches. There are some less expensive hubs and switches for your use and those are that run at only a single speed and have only a few RJ-45 connectors (that is what you need to connect your hub and switch with) ? some dual-speed hubs/switches are for adding a Fast Ethernet (100Base-TX ? but those are expensive) clients to an existing 10Base-T network, you?ll need a dual-speed hub or switch to connect the various types of Ethernet together.
If you?re connecting a small network (your 3 computers), you may need a four-port hub or switch (the smallest available). But if you only buy a hub or switch with only 4 ports and want to add more to your network, you?ll have to add a second hub or switch or replace the hub or switch with a larger one with more ports. It all depends on how many computers you want to hook up together will tell you what type of hub or switch you will need.

Hope this helps you out.

Submitted by: Carlene

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Answer:

Dear Andrew,

Your question is one that network designers have to ask a lot. Your choice of network design is one that will either make you happy or miserable for a long time. A lot depends on your layout. Are all the PC's going to be in 1 room, or several adjacent rooms, or widely spaced, or even on totally different floors of the building? Do you want to wire your home, or go wireless? Might you one day want to share a printer among the PC's? Having a network allows you to do more than just share an internet connection.

First, let me say that Windows XP allows you to share an internet connection by directly wiring your computers together without having a formal, switched network. If all you want is a shared internet connection, this may be the way to go. You will have to buy & install extra network cards on 2 of the PCs, so that you can pass through from one to the other. Total expense: the cost of 2 extra ethernet cards (internal or external) & 2 extra ethernet cables to connect them. You can set the PC connected directly to your dsl line as the "server" & connect the other PC's to it in "series" 1 to 2 to 3. "1" will be the server for "2" and "2" will be the server for "3". This works best if they are all close together, less than 25 ft. (50 or more is possible, but less satisfactory). All your PCs will need at least 1 ethernet card for basic network connection. If you go with internal cards and do not have PCs with manufacturer-supplied cards, you will have to open your computer case to install them. If you go with this pass-thru setup, you will definitely have to install the extra card on 2 PCs. So be prepared for that.

However, if you keep one PC in the bedroom, another in the den, & a third in the basement, for example, you will have to properly network them. Hubs, switches, & routers are, at their most basic, just ways to connect all the wires; but they are also much more. To start at the bottom, PCs send their data in packets. Each packet also includes identifying information about which PC it came from, which PC it goes to, how long it is (in bytes), what part it is of the entire transmission (e.g., packet 25 of 380), etc. These packets are transmitted individually & the PC will wait for a response (acknowlegment or
ACK) before sending another new packet. Actual practice is a little more complicated, but this is the general picture. Now to the definitions.

A hub is simply a common connection point, with no intelligence. It just repeats whatever data packets it receives on one port (connection jack) to every other port it has. This means that only 1 PC can transmit at a time, just like a walkie-talkie. Everyone can hear everyone else on the channel, but only 1 person can talk at a time. Two or more simultaneous transmissions will create a "data collision" & everybody has to stop transmitting for a random amount of time & resend the data. With only 2 or 3 PCs this might not be much of a problem; but if you want to do a big internet download, this will slow it down & waste the dsl bandwidth you are paying for. In addition, data can only be transmitted in one direction at a time, which slows things further.

A switch is much more intelligent than a hub. It can synchronize the PC transmissions so that everyone gets a chance to talk at once & the switch will hold the packets for a microsecond & release them one at a time. In addition, it can "learn" where every PC is (what port it is plugged into) and direct an incoming packet to its correct outgoing port. A hub just broadcasts to everybody. Because of this, a switch permits "full duplex" operation, like a telephone. Everyone can send & receive data at the same time. Data is directed to its destination instead of being randomly broadcast & multiple independent "conversations" can go on at once. Extensive networks can be operated on switches only. Switches can connect the devices plugged directly into them & can interconnect in banks to handle lots of devices. But, all they can do is manage an internal network & that network must be homogeneous, i.e., all ethernet or all token ring or all fiber optic. Large heterogeneous networks use bridges to connect between the switches. Your dsl connection box is most likely a bridge. A bridge can only connect 2 adjacent network segments. How do you talk to someone outside your network? Here is where routers come in. They connect multiple networks using common protocols.

A protocol is like an electronic language. It determines what data in the transmission packets look like. Tcp/ip is actually 2 combined protocols; and it is the language of the internet. It requires that each connected device or "host" have a unique identifying IP address, sort of like a phone number on a telephone network. This way, you can find a computer halfway around the world.
All you need to know is its IP address. This is in the realm of the router.

First, a router is also a switch; but it is a switch plus a bridge plus a remote network finder. Where a switch can only create a network, a router can connect between networks. It has an operating system, like a computer only proprietary, & keeps a memory of the devices that connect to it & the networks to which they belong. It is capable of knowing not just where its own direct connections are, but also where their connections are. For example, if you have routers 1, 2, & 3 connected to each other and if computer B is connected to router 2, when it wants to connect to computer A on router 1, router 2 knows to send the packets to router 1 and not router 3. It can even learn that router 4 is beyond router 1 and router 5 is beyond router 2! Thus, routers can memorize large tables of direct connections & accurately send data flowing over long distances & between different networks.

Home routers also have additional functions, some of which are also carried out by computers, such as dhcp server. They can have a WAN side (router) that goes out to other networks & a LAN side (switch) that connects to an internal network. They can be dhcp servers & Network Address Translation (NAT) devices, which assign private IP addresses to the computers inside their networks, and show a single public IP address to the rest of the world. They can be equipped with a hardware firewall to block unwanted intrusions into your network; and they can be joined in subnets if you should want to separate your internal computers for privacy. Most of the newer home routers are also programmed with PPPoE protocol to automatically log on to a dsl isp automatically. (A short aside about the firewall function. It is always better to still have a software firewall on your PC for maximum safety.)

If you want a home network, you can go with a switch, but one PC will have to have PPPoE software installed for the dsl connection & be set up as the "gateway" to the dsl network interface that your isp provides to you. It will have to handle all your internet traffic for the other 2 PCs, with the consequent performance hit. This means it will always have to be available to service the connection. You will also have to set up manual tcp/ip on each PC & learn how to assign IP addresses. A dsl capable router, on the other hand, will not cost much more than a switch and will be a gateway, an internal swich, a firewall, a dhcp server (so you don't have to manually input tcp/ip parameters on each PC), and a conduit to a printer, with a small additional print server box. If you get a wireless router, you don't have to run connection wires through the house & you can place your computers anywhere within range.
However, you will have to learn how to set up wireless security or you will be broadcasting your network to all the neighbors.

Getting back to your home layout, depending on where & how far apart your PCs are, you can mix switches & a router to extend the network range or just go with one component. I recommend the router because of all the other benefits it can give you for, maybe, 5-10 dollars more. When shopping though, be carefull reading the specs. I have seen components labeled switch/router, which is confusing but true, or access point, which can mean either switch or router.
If in doubt, ask a salesperson for some technical help deciphering the box, or take the model number & reseach reviews on the internet.

I think, once you have the network, you will find so much more to do with it besides just sharing an internet connection.

Submitted by: Loretta L. of Brooklyn, NY

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Answer:

Andrew, let me try to clear up some of your confusion.

Switches and hubs both connect multiple devices together on a network so that packets (messages) sent by one computer can arrive at the destination computer. Since they do the same thing, they are interchangeable. However, hubs send every packet to every computer on the network, while switches send packets only to their destination. Thus switches are more efficient and increase the effective bandwidth of the network. Since switches are no longer more expensive than hubs, there really is no reason to purchase hubs these days. One switch (or hub) with 3 (or more) ports would serve an entire 3-computer home network.

This is all that is required for a local network, not connected to the internet. Simply connect each computer to a port of the switch or hub. However, putting a network of multiple computers onto the internet requires much more functionality, you need (among other things) a DHCP server, a gateway and NAT (network address translation). This additional functionality is commonly provided by a single router connected between the Internet (cable or DSL modem) and the local network (switch or hub). Routers also have some degree of ?protection? (firewall) built into them, but the exact extent and nature of this varies considerably from model to model.

Since this configuration of a router and switch is so common, for home use the two devices are normally purchased as a single unit in one box, sold as a slightly misnamed ?router?. Similarly, ?wireless routers? are actually Wireless Access Points, routers and switches in the same box. [All of these components ? wireless access points, switches and ?pure? routers ? are also still offered and sometimes appropriately used as separate products in separate boxes.] While for convenience these combination devices have become predominant, they are still logically separate devices, and in configuring a network it is often necessary to deal with their functionality separately, even if they all reside together in the same box.

In your case, for a wired network of 3 PCs connecting to the internet over a single DSL connection, what you need is a DSL modem, a router and a switch. Most likely the ISP (internet service provider) will provide the DSL modem, and you will get the router and switch as a single combination device. If any of the computers to be connected to the internet are to be connected wirelessly, then you need the added functionality of a ?wireless access point?, which is most easily obtained in the form of what is now commonly called a ?wireless router?. Sometimes, you may run into ?combination? devices that also put the DSL modem into the ?router?, which might be called a ?DSL router?, but most commonly the DSL modem is still separate.

Since you are using DSL, there is one more added wrinkle to be aware of. DSL usually uses a connection protocol called PPPoE (point-to-point protocol over Ethernet). This requires a ?PPPoE client?, a function that was usually provided by the device connected to the DSL modem (either the single, non-networked computer, or the router). However, some DSL modems now incorporate the PPPoE client and a very simple rudimentary single port router (with or without NAT) inside the DSL modem itself. This leads to a lot of possible configurations, a dozen or more, and you may need to get local assistance to configure your network. What I?d recommend is first trying it yourself, initially in a simple single computer configuration (DSL modem to computer, no router). Then, only after that is working, try inserting the router between the DSL modem and the computer. If this works, you are home and can connect the other two computers to the router. If it doesn?t work, you will probably need to get some local help in properly configuring your home network to connect to your DSL modem and service provider.

Submitted by: Barry W. of North Canton, OH

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Routers, Hubs, Switches

by YogiBJ Aug 25, 2005 11:29PM PDT

I hope Andrew is a whole cleverer than I, I started off reading what has been posted with more than a great deal of interest as I want to network two computers so that each has internet connections.
Unfortunately I got completely lost before I got anywhere near half way. Was it really necessary to give such complete and complex explanations?

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Router, hub and the lot

by ddwebb Aug 26, 2005 4:17AM PDT

I have read and am still reading lots if good information here. I wish I had read this several years ago when I needed help setting up my home system.
I have a DSL thru a 3rd party ISP that provides me 5 IP's (not sure I need them or not anymore).
I have a business server that runs Win2000, Exchange and a web site. Not overly taxed.
I have 2 computers connected to system, 1 is Win 2000 Pro (home built) and another Win XP home (Dell).
I think I have it like this:
Wall jack to DSL modem. DSL modem to Linksys router. Linksys router to the server.
Server connects to a hub where the other computers are connected.
Each computer has a software firewall.
So how can I simplify this?
Not everything talks to each other or can see each other. Darn frustrating and am ready to start fresh and clean. I want to be able to connect a 3rd pc or that would be a 4th and have each and everyone of these computers be able to share files and printer(s). I also want to be able to do manual back from one point to see ALL drives necessary, so that would require mapping.
Help from frustrated dude

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My new LAN isn't working.

by wolfcreek Feb 22, 2006 6:31AM PST

I recently changed ISP's to DSL. My laptop with a modem provided by the ISP and an ethernet connection works fine. But when I add the wireless router,and my desktop, my laptop doesn't find the wireless server. What have I done wrong? Thanks.

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Not enough information...

by Tekamba Feb 22, 2006 9:08AM PST

It is tough to say what the problem might be. If you could provide more details I might be able to give a little more assistance.
You can contact me directly at support@hickscomp.com and we can see what we might be able to get working for you.

Greg Hicks

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Not enough information...

by Tekamba Feb 22, 2006 9:09AM PST

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Not enough information...

by Tekamba Feb 22, 2006 9:09AM PST

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new wireless equipment

by ericwolf Feb 22, 2006 11:25AM PST

Your post doesn't say that your desktop isn't able to browse the internet, just that your laptop cann't find the wireless network.

There are several reasons this could happen.
You may not have turned on the wireless networking function of the router. Some brands ship with this turned off for "security". This is easily solved by following the manual's instructions and enabling wireless networking in the router's control panel using the desktop computer.

You may have also turned off SSID broadcast while setting up the router. This is an advanced setting that home users should avoid. Yes, it hides your router from outsiders, but it also complicates how you connect to the network to a practically unuseable point. Again it's best to access the router's control settings using the computer that's connected by wire.

The router's settings may be totally bolluxed. Most brands can be returned to factory default by unpluging the power and using a paper clip to press the reset button for at least 10 seconds while the box powers up.

If you're paranoid and want a secure wireless connection, just enable the WEP setting and give it a 64 bit encription (Apple products call this 40 bit) which requires a 10 digit password. A 128 bit setting is also available (overkill) that requires a 26 digit passcode if you think you can remember that.

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Other recommendations by our members

by Lee.Koo Aug 24, 2005 8:50AM PDT

Answer:

Andrew

Routers and switchs and hubs, oh my! I couldn't resist when I saw you were in Kansas.

That aside, let's define these items first. A hub is a device that allows several computers to talk to each other on a network. A switch is a hub on steroids. It performs the same functions as a hub but better.
For example, a hub can talk to network cards at speeds of either 10 mbs (megabits per second) or 100 mbs. Don't worry what that means except that 100 is faster than 10. Unfortunately, if a hub has a 10 mbs device connected to it, it then slows the 100 mbs devices down to 10. The switch can have each device communicating at its own speed. It also allows for simultaneous communications that a hub cannot. A router allows several computers to communicate with the web at the same time and it even makes the web think that it is actually the computer that it is talking to. It then sends the proper information (routes) to each computer. A router can have a switch (described before) built in. It can also have wireless capabilities, allowing for even greater flexibility.

You say that all the machines are running XP. You could use Internet sharing with a hub or switch. If you do, one computer (the one doing the
sharing) must be on. It acts as a router. If you are starting from scratch which seems to be the case, it would probably be better to use a router that is always on. This way, you can turn on any or all 3 (or more if you add later) at the same time.

The directions that come with the router will tell you how to set it up.
You will need your user name and password for your DSL account. Not the one you may use to sign on when your computer starts. You may need to call your ISP for this information. (see next paragraph)

Since you are using DSL, you will probably have to reconfigure your DSL modem to bridged ethernet. Don't let that term scare you. When you have everything else set up like all the wires connected or wireless cards installed, call your ISP. Their tech support can then talk you through changes to the modem if necessary. If you need to do that, you will have to connect one computer directly to the modem (as you probably have it now). They will give you an address to type in your address bar of your browser. This will allow you to set up the modem properly.

The whole process, (not counting the installation of any cards or the running of wire) should take an hour or 2. When you are through, all of your computers can share your high speed connection. Then if you are really ambitious, you can learn to share printers and files. Do this carefully as you will be on the net. If you use wireless, further precautions are necessary but that is for a different post.

Good Luck Andrew

Submitted by: Harvey M. of Coral Springs, FL

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Routers, switches and hubs ,,,Oh MY!

The explanation is really very easy. The devices will share the internet connection but some do more than others. The hub is like the three outlet extention cord you might use in your room. It shares the available electricity but if you use too much it will overload. The hub splits the available speed of the internet connection by dividing the availble speed by the number of connected machines. But there is a way to fix that and that is to use the switch! The switch is smart enough to change (switch) between the users so that each one gets 100% of the speed while they are momentarilly using the connection. This way it looks to each user as if they are the only one connected. The router however adds something to the switch that makes adding computers to your single internet connection easy!

The router will take the address of your internet connection and give individual addresses to each connected computer by adding a digit at the end. All you have to do is go to the start menu and choose network connections in the settings button. Here a wizard will walk you through setting up the home network. The easier way (I think) is to click on the network connection and the nselect properties. If Internet Protocal (TCP/IP) is not there then tell it you want to 'install' a protocol. Then it will show you TCP/IP and you click add. Once you have added the TCP/IP then you click open the new protocol and check the button to "Obtain an IP address automatically." Now the computer will get an address from the router and every plug you router has can now handle a computer on the internet. In fact if you run an ethernet cable to another switch you can add even more! As aan added bonus the firewall even has a rudimentary firewall built into it. It helps but should not be considered bulletproof.

So a hub is a dumb way to share ethernet. A switch will give you maximum speed but a router contains a switch and will let you share one ethernet address across many computers in your home or small office network. Network!
That is what you have just done...built a simple network in your house. It's not only fun but it opens the door to lots of other great things like...lan parties!

Submitted by: Q Az

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Answer:

Andrew,

To connect three or more computers to a network requires a device to distribute the network signals. A simple device that does this is called a hub. However, a more sophisticated device called a switch will do so more efficiently by detecting which computer a network message is destined for. Since the prices of switches have come down a lot, the hub has almost disappeared from the current market.

A router is a more sophisticated device that determines the destination of a network message and sends it on as appropriate. In particular, it is used to send (route) messages between a local network and an Internet connection. When you have a DSL connection, there is a DSL modem involved that converts the telephone line DSL signals to network messages. This modem can be connected to only one device. This can be one computer or it could be a router. Most home routers include a four-port switch that is part of the router. The router does serve as a firewall since the "outside world" of the Internet only sees the router as the device connected to the Internet. Your own network computers are hidden from view. This adds some security to your system.

Now to your specific needs. In order to share your DSL Internet connection with all three computers, you will need a router. It is possible to use one of your computers as a router, but from my own experience, I do not recommend that. You can buy a router that is designed for a DSL connection and includes a four-port (or more) switch. There are also versions of such routers that add a wireless network capability. My own recommendation is against using wireless unless you have a laptop computer that moves around the house. The reason for being against wireless is due to security issues - unless you really need the wireless, why expose yourself to possible intrusion.

The router will come with software and instructions that should be fairly easy to set up. With Windows XP, the whole network setup is fairly easy. Good luck and enjoy you new network.

Submitted by: Peter S.

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Answer:

Andrew-

I will make this answer as simple as I can.

You need to buy a router.

Hubs are the most basic type of networking device. They allow a number of computers to be connected together, depending on how many ports they have. However using a hub is a bit like having an intersection without any type of traffic control. If there are very many computers trying to send information over the hub at a time the information collides and everything gets slowed down.

Switches alleviate this type of problem by controlling the flow of information to provide full network speed to every user. From the outside, they look the same as a hub.

Routers are a switch which also has circuitry inside to distribute an internet connection. They provide each connected computer with a virtual IP address so that each computer can use the internet. This is what provides the "firewall" capability, called NAT firewall, that routers have. NAT stands for Network Address Translation. It does protest each computer to some degree, but it's not a true active firewall.

There are routers made which have an actual firewall built in, but these are not the ordinary consumer-oriented routers you see at the local electronics megastore or office supply store for $50.

Routers can be made for wired-only or wired and wireless access. If one of your computers is a laptop, or if you want to use computers all over the house without having to run cables all over the house, you need a wireless router. This will also necessitate getting wireless adapters for each computer.

Since you have Windows XP on each computer, as long as you update them to the latest version of XP, you will be using the Windows XP Firewall software on the computers. You probably don't need to use any other firewall.

Submitted by: Steve S. of Osage Beach, MO

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Answer:

Andrew, below is some useful information regarding your connecting 3 PC?s in order to share your DSL connection.
I personally would recommend using a hardware broadband router for the reasons below.

1) All of the computers on the network are connected together using a switch (or hub) with the switch being connected to the broadband router.
2) All of the computers can now connect to the internet using the router as a gateway. A router has no real moving parts and is silent and requires little power thus it can be left on. What this will allow you to do is have any one of your 3 computers on the network access the internet at any time with no significant delay.

Broadband routers are relatively inexpensive and as the price goes up the features on the router should also be greater. Think of it like purchasing a car; you start with the base price and as you add options the price goes up!

The setting up of broadband routers is relatively a simple and straight-forward process. The majority of these routers will automatically detect the setting and will usually set up your home network for you using a technology called DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol.

My reasons for using this approach to connect your PC?s are listed below:

1) If you have more then two computers wishing to share an internet connection.
2) When the uptime of the ?gateway? computer cannot be relied upon.
3) You don?t want your computer connected directly to the internet for security reasons.
4) When you wish to have the more security provided by a router.

What you will require to make this type of connection is shown below:

1) One network card and network cable per computer (an Ethernet Network Interface Card (NIC) installed which must be connected to the router with an Ethernet cable. Each of these items is relatively inexpensive and with some careful shopping you should be able to find a good price for each item.
2) You definitely need a broadband router which will allow multiple computers on a network to use the same internet connection. These broadband routers perform a variety of tasks and usually have a built in four port switch, router (oftentimes a firewall) and come with either a cable or ADSL modem. It is best to use an all encompassing solution rather then having to deal with three different types of devices.
3) You will need a switch if one is not included with the broadband router. Be sure the switch has enough available ports to connect all of your computers and the router together.
4) One broadband modem is required if one is not included with the router. Just about all routers will require that the modem has an Ethernet port to connect to. Please note that there are modems out there which are PCI (Internal Card) or external devices with USB connections. These types of modems will not work with the typical router so you must be aware of this when looking for and finally making your purchase.

If you take the time to do some further research on the subject I am quite sure you will be up and running your computers on a network with no problems. I have included a link to a glossary of terms which you may find helpful. Take your time, ask questions, check on the return policy of items you may purchase which are incompatible or possibly damaged. In ending I wish you many hours of enjoyable network computing.

Glossary of Broadband Terms: http://www.getnetwise.org/glossary

Submitted by: Joe V. of Highland, NY

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Answer:

Andrew

Simply put, you don't need all of them. What you might what to get though is the router. A router usually allows for 4 computers to be used in a network. It can be set up to clone the Physical addressor MAC Address of the computer if your service limits the connection to only one computer so you can connect multiple computers. Each computer will get its own IP Address relative to the router, usually 192.168.1.x, where x is a number that is specified by the router to identify the computers connected. The router will get the IP Address issued by your ISP as if it were your computer that is connected to the modem.

As far as firewalls go, most if not all routers come with what is known as a hardware firewall. Usually it is adequate for protecting your network, but if you want to make sure you are protected you should also have software firewalls, firewalls that run on individual computers from the harddrive. Windows XP comes with a firewall, however, I don't use it because there are better ones out there. For free firewalls I recommend Sygate Personal Firewall. As for paid firewalls, I have been happy with Zonelabs Zonealarm Firewall. They offer a free 30 day trial version for you to decide if you want to continue using it. If you do decide to use the firewall included with Windows XP There is a few things you need to do.

To turn on the firewall in Windows, first you need to find the connection that will be connected to the router, usually named Local Area Network. Find it by clicking on Network Connections in the Control Panel. Next you right click on the connection and select properties. A window named Local Area Network Properties should be displayed with three tabs labeled General, Authentication, and Advanced. The General Tab should be selected. Select the "Advanced" tab and depending upon if you have Service Pack 2 installed or not there should be a button that says simply "Settings". Click on this button do not worry about any thing else that is displayed in this window. A window should now appear asking you if you want to turn the firewall on or off. Click on the circular button labeled "On (recommended)". Click "OK" once to close that window and twice to close the properties window. Your done.

I hope this was of some help to you.

Submitted by: Jake P. of Somerset, WI

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Hi Andrew,

Hubs are the simplest of the three and do nothing more than act as a common connection that allows each machine to 'see' each other. Their bandwidth is shared amoung all the machines and in both directions.
Switches are the next step up, their bandwidth is not shared, but the same for each machine.

Routers are intended to join networks. For example, your internal network to the Internet. They have intelligence and can hold special routing information. They control access in one, or both directions.

Today, you can get a single device that acts as a router, hub/switch, and firewall such as the Netgear product shown here:

http://reviews.cnet.com/Netgear_RP614_cableDSL_Web-safe_router_gateway/4505-3319_7-20001962.html

Submitted by: Paul D. of Randolph, NJ

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Answer:

I believe I have the answer to Andrew's question on how to connect 3 computers to 1 DSL line. Basically, all you need is a router that says that it is compatible with DSL, most all are. You then need 2 wireless receivers if your DSL line is in the same room as one of the computers that you need to connect. If not, you will need three. About router choice, there are basically 2 types of routers left nowadays, a cheaper 54 mbps router and a more advanced, 128 mbps router. Be forewarned, buying a 128 mbps router usually means that all the equipment you purchase must be compatible with 128 mbps to get the desired effect. Furthermore, a DSL line rarely accomplishes a speed of more than 1 mbps, so unless you want to swap some huge files between computers, a 128 mbps setup is probably not necessary. By the way mbps means megabytes per second. What a firewall is either a physical device that prevents hackers and other no-gooders from accessing your computer. With a wireless network, this is especially important, because a nosy neighbor with a wireless network or anyone with a wireless laptop, for that matter can tap into any computer on a network that doesn't have a firewall, even access the internet through your DSL connection! To prevent this, you should, preferably, have a router with a firewall. If the box claims to have something commonly called a Wireless standard firewall, all that means is that it is a little harder to weasel into the network. What you really need is a Wired Equivalent Security firewall. Picture it this way, a Wireless standard firewall is like a picket fence between them and your wireless network. A wired Equivalent Security firewall is like a ten foot tall reinforced cement wall around your network. No one is getting passed that. One last thing, products of the same brand may be easier to set up together, but it is not required.

Submitted by: Matthew T.

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Andrew,

Yes, the terms can be confusing, and all of those pieces of hardware have their places in networking. However, having set up a few home networks for sharing DSL and cable modems, I can tell you that the only one you need is a router. The router will connect to the Ethernet output cable from your DSL modem. There is a specific Input connector on the router, usually called the WAN or LAN input connector in the manual, for Wide Area Network or Local Area Network connection. There are a lot of routers available with four output connectors, so connecting three PCs will be no problem. There are other decisions to make, so let's talk about them.

First, is it going to be easy, or even possible, to connect the PCs by cables to the router. The router will be within a few feet of the DSL modem, generally. Depending on your layout and willingness to drill holes in walls, floors and ceilings, you can always use long Ethernet cables to connect the machines. IF this is not a good option, you can look into wireless routers. The caveat is that wireless connections require wireless adapers, meaning adding a card to a PCI expansion slot in a desktop, or getting a PC card adapter for a notebook that is not already enabled for wireless, which will be listed in the specifications as 802.11x compatible, where x may be a, b, g or a combination of these. Bottom line, wireless means no wires, except to the PC next the router and modem, as the set-up should be done over a wired connection, but extra expense if your machines are not set up for wirelss in advance.

As to firewalls, routers from most companies come with a built-in hardware firewall, often NAT (Network Address Translation), which makes your computer sort of invisible to the outside world. Nothinhg is perfect, but it does cut down on the number of intrusions from the Innternet. As it is not perfect, it is a good idea to install a software firewall on any machine connected to a broadband connection, ESPECIALLY a laptop that may be used on various connections if you connect to public access points. There are several good ones, such as Zone Alarm and Norton Personal Firewall, which comes with certain Norton products. The Windows Firewall in XP is also an option, but not as capable as the other products in many people's opinion. Zone Alarm has a free version that can be downloaded, but has less features than the commercial version.

So....#1, decide if wired or wireless makes sense, #2, get a router with the capabilities you need, #3, get any cables and, if you decide to go wireless, adapters for the PCs (same brand as router is a safe bet, always!) and #4, take them home and follow the set-up instructions carefully. Remember, versions of these things change, so the CD and manual may give you different information. Don't be afraid to hit the Reset button and begin again with a different set of instructions, because that is par for the course when things change this fast. Do the set-up from the computer connected to the router by a cable, generally the one right next to your DSL modem, then set up the rest of the machines. Make sure you ahave an Internet connection working on that machine before you try to share it, because if the first machine is not getting a connection, you won't have any luck with the rest. With many DSL systems, if you have to install specific software and initiate an internet connection when you go online from your first computer, you may need to do the same for the rest. You can try it both ways and see what works. #5, decide on a software firewall option and set it up. You should be ready to surf the net from all your machines in relative safety now.

Good luck!

Submitted by: Mike B.

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Andrew,

Your answer, if you only want to share your DSL connection and not share files, is fairly straight-forward. A short description of the terms you mentioned follows. Hub; a device which broadcasts data to any connected devices, everywhere at once in an almost random way. Switch; a device which relays data in a more controlled way, along pre-determined paths. Router; The simple, easy solution to connect PCs, to share connections via a Local Area Network (LAN), so only a single router is required, as it acts as a combined hub and switch, to serve all 3 PCs.
Most late model computers have Ethernet ports, for connecting PCs to the router (you would need 4 ports on the router at least), the router is then connected to your DSL modem, or a combined Router/DSL Modem will then also connect to the internet (if the PCs are using the internet at the same time, speed will be distributed evenly, e.g., 3 PCs=1/3 speed each). For DSL sharing only, network cards are not necessary, if the PCs have onboard ethernet capability. Most router/modems have inbuilt firewalls, which will protect all PCs on the LAN, some also have a print server to enable printer sharing.
You can choose to connect your LAN via wired ( can be unsightly) or wireless (more expensive and currently less secure) methods. Your router/modem should have software and hardware accessories supplied to enable configuration and set up, of your DSL connection. Your supplier should be able to advise you on what parts you need to set up the LAN connection of your choice. Windows XP can set up the operating system, through the Network Connections setup wizard for the LAN.
I hope that this answer will assist with your immediate concerns.
Submitted by: Bernie B. Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Submitted by: Bernie B. of Queensland, Australia.

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Answer:

I personally would use a router which handles the DynamicHostClientProtocol process and which is fairly simple to set-up for use on each of your XP machines. Most routers available have this function built into them plus a hardware/software firewall. You would want a router with 3 or more Ethernet ports on the back or if you are going with a wireless network between each machine then just a wireless router. (No hard wired cables between each machine.) The router would hook up between your DSL modem and all the machine you wish to use the DSL. It would be the one handling communication between the DSL and each machine (It acts as a gateway to the DSL). A hub or switch is only needed if the router you select does not support the number of machines you want to share the DSL connection. They are kind of like a automatically switching box that sits there looking for something to send along to anything that is connected to the hub/switch whether it wants it or not. Each machine knows if it is something it is wanting and requested and ignores everything else on the lines. Or if you want one 'central' machine to handle the DSL traffic and use that machine(a gateway machine) to also be the one running the DHCP HOST process. Then each of the other machines would then be CLIENTs to that machine. Personally it is easier to buy one wireless router, put a wireless card in each machine and setup wireless networking on each machine. I run a hardwired network in my house so I can not give the hard details for the wireless setup in XP, but I know there is a 'wizard' in XP SP2 that will help you in setting this up for you.

Submitted by: Keith M.

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Answer:

Wow. This one is straight forward.

You will need to make the following decisions.

Wired vs Wireless

Is your primary PC located near the cable modem or DSL modem?

Do you have a cable modem / DSL modem? Is not you will need one.

Purchase a wired or wireless router..

I suggest a wireless router with a minimum of 4 output ports wired and a USB port for printer sharing. There are many on the market today. Go with the fastest technology you can afford.

Purchase two wireless PCI cards or Wireless External recievers that connect to your other PC's. The externals connect simply via USB ports the PCI cards are mounted within the machine. (Your comfort / familiarity with hardware level dictates your choice)

Installing is a snap. Disconnect your PC from the Cable / DSL modem. Install the routers software onto the system that will be hardwired. Connect the Router to the Modem with the cable from Modem WAN output to Router Wan input. Connect the Router with one cable to port one on the Router to you NIC input. This connection will enable this computer and the software installed should self load and provide you with internet connectivity. Install the wireless cards or access portals on each of the two remaining computers after you install the software that came with this hardware. Each of these computers will finish the installation and now be connected wirelessly to the internet through the router and the shared Cable or DSL modem.

The Router will act as a NAT firewall and enhance your system security. The router and the access cards will also allow you to enable encryption to provide transmission security via wireless. You will provide the encryption a pass phrase for all the units you want to connect (it will be the same phrase) This will then provide you the shared system you desire and will also enable growth easy relocation as well as the use of notebooks and laptops throughout your home.

I recommend you enable the windows firewall on your PC's or even the installation of a separate firewall. Major ISP's (AOL, COMCAST) now offer free firewall, privacy, and viruscan software to their subscribers.

Good luck

Submitted by: Ed C.

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Yes there is a differance..... a hub, much like a usb hub. allows your cpu s to see eachother, and connect many deviced together or to a main device.....but you ll need to force ip addresses in each computer, and the ip addresses need to be set so each computer can "see" the other. You will need to be of medium/lite to medium knowledgeable of networking to get this right the first time.

A switch is similar to a hub with some differances that i am perticularly unaware of...

A router is a different critter all together, and this is the item you want to share your dsl connection to your other computers... with that said. some DSL providers make it really difficult for a residental user to use a router. ie, they would rather you pay for a 2nd and 3rd dsl subscription at full price, rather than spend 60 to 100 bux on a router one time and be done with it.... they make more off of you. with a router, you only pay monthly what your paying now..... so here is what i would do

Buy a Quality router, ie.. Linksys brand or Netgear brand, dont be shy with the wallet, you do get what you pay for here.... i would say if your spending 80-140.00 for a router, then your looking at some good items, if your looking to pay 30 or 50 for a router, you may be asking for some future headaches ....... (but I was able to pick up a good Linksys Wireless router for 9.99 after rebates, so.....)a routher can have a single LAN port or 4 LAN ports or even 8 LAN ports ( the Lan Ports on a router if more than one. is also considered a switch, but it is BUILT into the Router, so therefore falls under the term Router, Most routers will have a 4port Switch build into them, though a select number only have one LAN port to use. buy one with a 4 port switch built into the router.

unplug the dsl modem and shut down all cpu s.
you ll plug your dsl modem into the WAN port of the router ( it will say WAN or Internet) via an ethernet cable....
you ll then run more ethernet cables from the routher LAN ports to each of the computers network cards ( looks like a phone plug but larger with 8 leads instead of the 4 on a phone line ). once you have your cpu s plugged into the router Lan ports via ethernet cords, and the WAN port plugged into the DSL modem via an ethernet cord, you will want to power up the DSL modem.. give it about a minute, when your sure your modem is online, then you will want to power up the Router next.... it will run a self boot check which can take about 20 to 30 seconds depending on router brand/model.... after the router is on and working, then you will power up each of the computers, i would do one at a time. let each cpu get on the desktop, then open up your internet browser of choice and see if you have internet access....
Considering you have stated all cpus are running windows xp. then you should not have a problem accessing the WWW, UNLESS there is a problem in the computer itself or in your network you just set up.

a brief trainer of terms.

WAN... Wide Area Network, refers typically to&nwindows xp. then you should not have a problem accessing the WWW, UNLESS there is a problem in the computer itself or in your network you just set up.

a brief trainer of terms.

WAN... Wide Area Network, refers typically to the internet connection or maybe the Main server in a company system...

LAN Local Area Network. refers typically to all computers in a single place being connected together via a Router, Switch or Hub depending on the size of the network...

DSL... Direct Subscriber Line, used via a phone based network providing High Speed Internet connections to consumers residential and commercial alike thru their phone lines, but provides high speeds unlike a dial up connection, and allow you to still have normal telephone use.....

If all computers are running properly. and your DSL provider does not have your DSL modem set up improperly. you should be able to plug in all the ethernet cables (correctly as described above of course), power up your items starting with the DSL modem, then the router, then each computer, and get internet access to each computer so they can all be online at the same time... Be aware, in doing this, you will be "SHAREING" you DSL connection with EACH machine on your network... which means each machine will probably not run at max speed available from your DSL modem, but sharing the speeds between each CPU that is online at a given time.

the best thing you can do is READ READ READ< read here, read the istructions to the router. the more knowledge you obtain on a network setup, the more knowledgable you are.. and the less problems you will have, and the more likely you will be able to fix any probles that do arise on your network..

Hope this helps.

Submitted by: Timmahh

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Answer:

Andrew, it?s not really difficult to connect three PC?s all to one line and share it. The main thing to consider is the proximity of these machines to the DSL Modem and whether these machines will be in one place or you want roam around your home. If all of these machines will remain close to the DSL modem, then the answer is simple. So, let?s take the simple case first. In order to ?split? the DSL line into multiple ?circuits?, a router is used to look to your DSL provider as one device. The router then addresses each machine in your house separately but from internet/DSL provider?s view, you only have one computer attached. A Hub and Switch are almost identical. They both are used to connect multiple devices together in a local area network (LAN). The difference is that a Hub broadcasts all network traffice to ALL other devices. So each device must look at the message and say ?Is this for me??? and if it?s not, then it just gets ignored. If it is, then the system responds to whatever is requested. A switch will only send the network traffic to the device it is destined for. The other devices never see it. So, most routers are actually a combination of a router/switch or router/hub? you have to look at the box. Both should work well for you, but in high network traffic situations, the switch is preferred.

Now, back to the closeness of your machines to the DSL Modem. If your machines are in other rooms or if you want wonder around, then wireless is the way to go. There are many routers on the market that have wireless capability. You will need a wireless router and a wireless card (PCI for desktop, PCMCIA (PC) for Notebooks) and then you will be able to share your DSL without any difficulties.

Charlie Sumner (of Boca Raton, FL)

Submitted by: Charlie S. of Boca Raton, FL

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Answer:

Hello, this is Fernando from Bogota, Colombia, and this is my answer for your question:
First, you must check if your DSL modem validates a connection or not.
Your DSL modem validates if:
? You just turn on your computer and can surf the Internet and use your IM software normally
? Don't need to run a broadband network access to connect to Internet (this means typing your username and password)
In another circumstance, modem don't validate.
When you check that modem validates (or not), in both cases you must to do your network. Most of our clients in the ISP where I work (Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Bogot

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Routers, switches & hubs...

by j.craig Aug 28, 2005 7:54AM PDT

Everyone has pretty much explained the different hardware functions, so I will keep it short and simple.
I went through the same "how do I do this?" about a year ago. I went to: http://www.homenethelp.com/ and at the top of the page is the Menu. Select Computer Networking, then Start Here and follow the explaination and tutorials. I was able to set up a $20 D-Link 524 4 port plus wireless router for 3 hardwired computers and a wireless laptop sharing a DSL connection in a few hours. I have file sharing between computers and we all share 2 printers. And my son uses the 4th port to connect his PS2 to the internet to play online.
Read through the article and then print out the parts that you will use. It's easier to read.

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Routers

by cesareDH Aug 25, 2005 11:03PM PDT

I purchased a Netgear RT-314 router to hook up 2 Win98 machines and the Internet. Help was provided by a friend who does computer work on the side and had set up 4 networks previously. We followed all the instructions provided, about 12 different times with negative results. We called Netgear support and they asked me if it accessed the Internet, and I told them yes, it did, but it wouldn't access the other machine. Netgear told me they didn't care about my problem, as long as it accessed the Internet. One time, the "B" machine could see the "A" machine, but couldn't access the folders/files. We checked all our settings about a dozen times, and I downloaded a step-by-step tutorial which I followed 3 or 4 times with negative results. In the end, the 2 of us accumulated approx. 90 hours and never got it to work. So, there's a bran new, never used Netgear RT-314 sitting on the shelf, in the box waiting for a friend.
Now I have a Netgear DS-104 Hub I'm going to try and hook up 2 WinXP machines with. Wish me luck.

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Why Netgear

by WilliamKazak Aug 25, 2005 11:18PM PDT

Why did you get another Netgear if the tech dept. blew you off like that??I have had wonderful success with calling Linksys when I needed help with my Linksys router setups.

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LinkSys?

by sharee100 Aug 26, 2005 12:09AM PDT

I know one of the system techs at LinkSys. I use D-Link.

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Linksys

by cesareDH Aug 26, 2005 2:17AM PDT

You're right, I never should have gone back to Netgear, but if I remember correctly the DS-104 Hub was on some kinf of special for about half the price of Linksys.

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There is nothing wrong with Netgear...

by cdgoldin! Aug 27, 2005 4:29PM PDT

Unless you received a defective router, which doesn't seem to be the problem described, you simply didn't set it up properly. Netgear tech support is quite correct not to attempt to assist you with an unrelated problem.

Try again, and this time follow the installation instructions step-by-step. Don't ask your friend to help you this time. Generally such "experts" (he/she has set up four whole systems, wow!) think they know how to do everything, and therefore don't bother to read the instructions. When something doesn't work, they have no idea how to perform logical diagnostics to determine the error.

I didn't make note of which systems you are trying to connect, but before ANY Windoze computer can see another, you have to file sharing enabled. Otherwise, their is nothing to see!

Similarly, you will need to set up the appropriate workgroup and computer names on each system. And, if you are using Windows 2000 or Windows XP, you much set up the same user names on each machine (In other words, if you are logged onto System1 as User1, User1 must be a valid user with adequate access privileges on System2. Othewise you can't access System2 from System1. And vice versa.) Windows 98 and ME have less useless "security" features, and therefore you don't need to worry about user names --- unless you are trying to access a W2000 or XP machine.

There are a few other details to worry about as well.

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Netgear & friend

by cesareDH Aug 27, 2005 6:34PM PDT

We followed the instructions to the letter. Not once, but 5 or 6 times. You can believe that we had everything set properly and checked ourselves repeatedly. It was after my friend was no longer here that I found the really detailed tutorial on networking Win98 machines, and I went over that tutorial for 2 full days, myself. Step-by-step, VERY carefully.
It would seem that Netgear support would/could have gone the "extra mile" to assist me, seeing as how both machines were accessing the Internet.
I'm going to try to network these 2 WinXP Pro machines today using the Netgear Hub. I need better luck than I had on those 98 machines using that Netgear Router.

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Different protocols

by Kay_Are Aug 26, 2005 3:04AM PDT

There are different protocols used by the computers for communication. It seems that the Netgear people were only interested in the TCP/IP one. To test your network with that one try pinging one computer from the other ie >ping 192.168.1.200 , you can use >ipconfig to get the machines IP address.

For the windows protocol be sure that it has been enabled and you have file sharing enabled. You also must have you "workgroup" setup and be using the same name. I know from previous experience when I had Win98 it is a bit temperamental, XP works better.

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re: Different protocols

by cesareDH Aug 26, 2005 6:42AM PDT

You can believe we did all of that, and more. We were into "bindings" and alot of other places I don't remember right now. That was a long time ago.
I hope you're right about XP being easier, cause this weekend I'm going to try and hook up 2 XP Pro machines thru the Netgear DS-104 Hub.

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Switches

by cesareDH Aug 25, 2005 11:12PM PDT

A friend and I purchased a Belkin "smart" swith to hook up 2 WinXP Home machines. Following all the instructions, trying XP's automatic configuration, and trying the manual, by-the-book instructions, after 5 days of frustration, we returned the switch to the shop, and sold one of the machines.
Now I'm going to try and connect 2 WinXP Pro machines using a Netgear DS-104 hub.

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Switches routers etc.

by wmarr Aug 26, 2005 12:23AM PDT

Ok, here is a simplistic dummy proof way to setup your home network.
Ok, get as router. They are the easiest because all you have to do, is connect it to a power source, then connect the network cable (that used to go to one computer) to the routers Uplink port(this cable goes between your highspeed box and the router because your router is now what your ISP will see as a connected computer). Then run network cables from each computer to the vacant ports on the router. (too easy)
Use one computer to access the disk that came with the router. Follow the instructions to setup your internet access so it will be saved in the router. That's it.
One more thing. Remove the internet connection program from your computer(the one from the disk that your ISP gave you -you won't be needing it.)
To see other computers. If you are using XP, just follow the wizard in my network places. If using windows 98, send me an email for further discussion. I will help you personally.

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Multi-Port Routers

by adpizza Aug 26, 2005 12:27AM PDT

The simple answer is the four port router will do everything you want and it is by far the easiest remedy to what you are trying to do. I too was confussed by the switch/router/hub. The four port router is the least expensive way to solve your problem. Everyone can surf the net at the same time and will not have any conflicts, just remember you will all only go as fast as your service provider gives you. If the download is 5MB bandwidth it will be used for all three of the computers that are in use. If you download music on one, programs on the other, and games are being played on the third very possibly all three functions will be slowed to allow enough for each to work and they will, however, at a slower rate of speed. The upload speed will also feel the same effect. During normal surfing you will not notice a thing. I run two computers and a playstation all at the same time and thats what my experience has been. If only one computer is in use then the whole bandwidth will be available.

The only choice you have at this point is wireless or hardwired types of routers. That is a choice you must make. Wireless is just a bit more in price, but the advantage is mobility for your computers, especially if they are laptops.

I hope this will help you.

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