Something related to this subject.
A I mentioned, I have a broadband cable straight into my computer.
Now, I need to run three computers of the incoming line, but I don't like the idea of using a radio hub. So I suppose the other rout is to set up my computers on a LAN. Taking out the single broadband LAN cable and swapping it around is not a good thing to do.
I have never had anything to do with LANs, but I believe that you set up one computer as a server and this machine has to be running all the time you wish to use the others.
Is this correct, and has anyone done it ?
Dave.
Hi Dave,
I would be surprised if there isn't a modem in-between the incoming line and the computer. Very often the modem comes with a built in router. Some are only a single port, but more usually, have at least four. These routers will support many more computers than they have ports for. For instance my ISP supplied router has four LAN output ports but is capable of supplying up to 128 computers.
If you have more than four computers then you need a multi-port switch. You can buy these in various versions with from 5 to 256 or more outputs. All you need to do is plug in a LAN cable between the router and your computer. The computer will at start up request an address from the router via the switch and use that address.
Note: The router has a switch built in to it. You cascade switches by plugging in cables between them. External switches usually have a dedicated input port for the purpose of expansion.
One last point: Not all routers, computers and switches have the ability to detect the cable type. Some need what is called a "Straight through" cable and others need a "Cross over" type. The ones that can detect the cable type don't care because they swap the connections automatically internally.
I recall an incident at a fairly large company that cost them an awful lot of money because the technician didn't know the difference between the two cable types.
HTH.