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General discussion

Upgrading to Cable Internet....

Mar 3, 2005 10:30AM PST

Hello all,

Got a networkign problem here. We have an existing network wihtout a shared internet connection. It's a basic 4 computer network with only file and printer sharing. All the machines are using XP/SP2. Today we made the upgrade to cable and want to start sharing the connection among the 4 'puters but are unable to do so at this time. Can anyone point me in some sort of direction as to where I can find a how-to about making the change over from a non-internet network to a shared broadband network with file and print sharing? Any and all suggestions are appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Pedo

Discussion is locked

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get a router.
Mar 3, 2005 10:52AM PST

Need to get a router/switch.

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yeah. a router
Mar 3, 2005 5:46PM PST

My suggestion is to get a router with a four port switch. This way, you only have to register one computer mac address with you ISP. Plug your cable modem to the WAN/internet port of your router. Plug all four computers into the switch side of the router and set them to obtain ip address automatically (DHCP). Your router should be set for DHCP by default. The router makes it so your ISP and everyone else on the internet will only see one mac address (the router). Everything behind your router is protected from certain stuff. You'll find out. Get one.

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Sorry, I should have been more specific...
Mar 3, 2005 10:07PM PST

We have a router that is already set up that we share everything through. We can't get the cable connection to share through the router. Should I just run the Network Setup Wizard again? What settings should I use? Thanks.

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still not specific..
Mar 4, 2005 7:42AM PST

what kind of router do you have and how do you have it physically connected to your modem and computers?

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Read the Router's Manual
Mar 4, 2005 5:24PM PST

Reading the router's manual should provide the information you need to correctly set up and configure your router to share the Internet connection between the four computers.

If you don't have the router's manual, and if you have any kind of internet connection available, go to the router's manufacture's site and download a copy of the manual. The manual would likely have diagrams that would help you identify the ports/jacks and such when you go to hook it up to the internet. It would also have screen prints of the configuration screens you would use to set up the router for the Internet.

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Fixed it...
Mar 5, 2005 5:23AM PST

unplugging the router from it's power source so that it can reset itself works wonders...thanks for the help!