4 Port Router 5 Computers.

[Edward]

Simple situation and as a solution I want to buy a second NIC and a cross over cable for one of the computers. Will this setup work?

[Dave]

The easiest solution is just to buy another switch. They're a little more expensive but it's a lot easier to set up and allows for additional expandability in the future. Simply buy an 8 port switch (or similar), and connect it to your existing switch with a crossover cable. Voila, another 7 ports

[Edward]

Yeah I was thinking that. Thing is I'm a lil short on cash. And when I do upgrade my network with a hub/swhich it will be wireless. Can it be done. P.S. I'm using windows XP.

[Pangloss]

Simple situation and as a solution I want to buy a second NIC and a cross over cable for one of the computers. Will this setup work?

 

Are you running Linux or Windows? In Linux it's no problem, just configure the fourth computer as a router and then give the fifth computer an IP address on the new network.

 

In Windows this is problematic, because Microsoft restricts routing to the more expensive server product. There is a feature called Internet Connection Sharing that lets LAN computers access the Internet through one workstation that's directly connected to something like a cable modem (most people don't use this anymore, they just connect the cable or DSL "modem" directly to their switch). But while this is a form of routing, I believe Microsoft has deliberately removed the "Sharing" feature from the normal "Local Area Connection" module in the Network Connections application so that you can't do what they consider to be more advanced routing. There might be a way to kludge something together, but at the moment my guess is that you're going to be stuck with the fifth computer being unable to see anything other than the fourth computer.

 

There may be third party solutions out there to get around this problem in Windows. But your best bet is just to do what Dave said and buy a bigger router. They're practically giving them away these days.

 

Or you can do what I did. Computers in my house that are outside of my office (where the DSL connection comes in) are connected via a wireless network which is secured via WPA.

[Pangloss]

By the way, if you have access to another small, cheap, hub/switch, say a friend is giving one away, you can attach it to the first hub/switch and expand your network that way.

[Dave]

Personally I don't think the cost is much of an issue anymore. The network switches are exceptionally cheap these days. For instance, on eBuyer, there's a 8 port network switch for £8.99 inc VAT. (There's also a cheaper, 5 port one available). And, as Pangloss says, doing this with Windows can be a right pain in the backside.

 

At the end of the day, it's your choice but to me, this is really the best way of doing it.

[Edward]

Wait now I'm confused dont I need a router? What EXACTLY do i need to share internet connection? Caus a router costs 50 $ can

[Molotov]

Keep the router and buy a cheap switch. Connect switch to router. Problem solved.

[Dave]

I think a little clarification is required on my part. Basically, all a router does is link two different networks - in this case, your LAN and the internet. In fact, what most people claim to be is a router is actually a router, modem and switch all combined into one nice little package.

 

The ethernet ports on the back of your "router" allow you to connect multiple computers to the network. You can buy yourself a cheap switch (like the one I linked to), and connect that to one of your existing ports with a crossover cable. This allows you to connect as many computers as you like, within reason.

 

I did have a link to a nice little tutorial about it, but I've lost the link so I can't post it right now. Will post later if I have a chance.

[Pangloss]

I want to point out that your original question had nothing to do with Internet sharing. You need to be really, really specific when you ask questions, because you're going to get really, really specific answers. (grin)

 

Normally when you connect computers together (by attaching their networking cables to a hub or switch) you don't need a router, because they're all on the same "network" (or "subnet").

 

Unfortunately one of the quirks of modern computing is that when you put two network adapters into a computer the OS network layers see this as an example of what's usually referred to as "multi-homing" (or similar names), meaning that it thinks you want to connect your computer (or server) to multiple networks. That's what we did in the old days (ala 15 years ago), when routers cost thousands of dollars. The server would then translate packets back and forth between the networks, a process called "routing". (Which is why first generation standalone routers were all based on standard PC computers. Cisco kept 486 assembly lines running for years.)

 

This is not the case when you connect two hubs or switches together. They don't see that as multi-homing, they see it as expanding the network. They're just designed that way.

 

So when you attach your fifth computer to a second NIC in your fourth computer, the operating system is going to see that as an example of routing. ICS lets you share a connection to an Internet modem (cable modem or DSL box) that way, but there's no "Sharing" option for a standard LAN connection. You might be able to kludge something together involving the Bridging options or some hacking on the system registry, but my guess is that it's not worth the effort.

 

Buy a bigger hub, or borrow one from a friend.

[Edward]

Ok I'm looking for the cheapest way to do this and after looking at different vendors I can see that switchs cost just as much as routers. From what I have read on these threads Switchs should cost significantly less than routers.

[Dave]

Yes, they do. What list are you looking at?

[Pangloss]

He could be right, just because DSL/Cable routers have become so cheap lately, and earlier models often hit the discount shelves in record numbers.

 

A quick search at Froogle showed 5-port switches as low as $18. Pricegrabber lists one for $12. This is just from glancing at the first page, though -- a more thorough search should show prices even lower.

[Dave]

Hmm. Maybe I'm too used to UK prices

 

Cheapest one on eBuyer is £17.

[Edward]

I looked at futureshop.ca sourcecc.ca tigerdirect.ca and staples.ca. There was one at one of them that was 18.00$ but that didn't look to be of good quality.