In article <3e8pq9F1pir***@individual.net>, "Tom B." <tom@nospam.com>
wrote:
>Hi everyone
>
>I hope someone can help.
>
>We have two computers, both running XP Pro SP2. The first computer
>accesses the Internet through a router/ADSL modem connected by Ethernet
>(i.e. Cat5 cable running from the PC's NIC to the back of the router.
>The router has its own power supply).
>
>What we'd like to do is allow the second PC to share the first PC's
>Internet connection. I understand that all we'd need to do is plug the
>second PC into the router, but here's the problem: the router only has
>one Ethernet port.
>
>What do I need to do to connect the second PC to the router? After a
>little research, I found out about hubs and switches. But what's the
>difference between a hub and a switch and which one would I need to buy?
>Also, what kind of cable would I need for the second PC?
>
>Advice greatly appreciated
>
>Tom

> In article <3e8pq9F1pir***@individual.net>, "Tom B." <tom@nospam.com>
> wrote:
>
>>Hi everyone
>>
>>I hope someone can help.
>>
>>We have two computers, both running XP Pro SP2. The first computer
>>accesses the Internet through a router/ADSL modem connected by Ethernet
>>(i.e. Cat5 cable running from the PC's NIC to the back of the router.
>>The router has its own power supply).
>>
>>What we'd like to do is allow the second PC to share the first PC's
>>Internet connection. I understand that all we'd need to do is plug the
>>second PC into the router, but here's the problem: the router only has
>>one Ethernet port.
>>
>>What do I need to do to connect the second PC to the router? After a
>>little research, I found out about hubs and switches. But what's the
>>difference between a hub and a switch and which one would I need to buy?
>>Also, what kind of cable would I need for the second PC?
>>
>>Advice greatly appreciated
>>
>>Tom
>
>
> Get a switch.  If the switch has an uplink port, connect that port to
> the router.  If the switch doesn't have an uplink port, connect any of
> its ports to the router.  Connect both computers to the switch.  Use
> regular Cat5 cables for all connections.
>
> Hubs are pretty much obsolete.  Switches offer better throughput for
> multiple computers and don't cost much, if any, more than hubs.
>
> A hub transmits all incoming packets to all of its ports, so each
> computer sees packets addressed to every other computer.  A switch
> only transmits incoming packets to the computer that is to receive
> them.

> Hi everyone
>
> I hope someone can help.
>
> We have two computers, both running XP Pro SP2. The first computer
> accesses the Internet through a router/ADSL modem connected by Ethernet
> (i.e. Cat5 cable running from the PC's NIC to the back of the router.
> The router has its own power supply).
>
> What we'd like to do is allow the second PC to share the first PC's
> Internet connection. I understand that all we'd need to do is plug the
> second PC into the router, but here's the problem: the router only has
> one Ethernet port.
>
> What do I need to do to connect the second PC to the router? After a
> little research, I found out about hubs and switches. But what's the
> difference between a hub and a switch and which one would I need to buy?
> Also, what kind of cable would I need for the second PC?
>
> Advice greatly appreciated
>
> Tom

> Tom B. wrote:
>
>> Hi everyone
>>
>> I hope someone can help.
>>
>> We have two computers, both running XP Pro SP2. The first computer
>> accesses the Internet through a router/ADSL modem connected by
>> Ethernet (i.e. Cat5 cable running from the PC's NIC to the back of the
>> router. The router has its own power supply).
>>
>> What we'd like to do is allow the second PC to share the first PC's
>> Internet connection. I understand that all we'd need to do is plug the
>> second PC into the router, but here's the problem: the router only has
>> one Ethernet port.
>>
>> What do I need to do to connect the second PC to the router? After a
>> little research, I found out about hubs and switches. But what's the
>> difference between a hub and a switch and which one would I need to
>> buy? Also, what kind of cable would I need for the second PC?
>>
>> Advice greatly appreciated
>>
>> Tom
>
>
> If you mostly want to have both PCs share the internet, then any old hub
> (including a 5$ second-hand hub) will suffice.  But if you also want to
> share
> files, you may be frustrated with the low performance, since most old hubs
> are 10 Mb/s (i.e., ~1 MB/s file transfer rate); for file sharing, a 100
> Mb/s
> switch will be better.  Also, with a hub, your ISP must supply an IPA
> (that's
> an address) for each PC; some ISPs won't, some will, and some will but only
> for an extra monthly fee.
>
> Use the same cable type you currently have; you'll need 3: hub/switch
> (uplink
> port) to router/modem, hub/switch (downlink port) to PC-a, and hub/switch
> (downlink port) to PC-b.
>
> If the router/modem acts as a firewall, then you're done; if not, then you
> will be better protected by getting a SOHO router instead of the
> hub/switch,
> since such routers do NAT and filter out most unwanted inbound traffic. 
> The
> router/modem furnished by my cable ISP is not a firewall, so I use a real
> router behind that router/modem to keep the gremlins out.
>
> All in all:  you should probably buy a router.