Networking advice...

[Chaos in 1983!]

So this is what I need...I need to share an internet connection with three other computers...

I have no money for a router, so I have to do it the cheap way...I can't use a hub, since those won't copy the MAC address of the modem...

So this is what I was thinking...if I put three ehternet cards on a single PC and use that PC, use one for the internet conection, and share it to the other two copmuters through the other two ethernet cards establishing a shared connection on WinXP...

So I use the three card PC as an Internet server for the other two...of course if this one isn't on, then the other two won't have internet connectino...obviously...I know this can be done with two PCs, I just don't know if it can be done with three... :?

Here's a small graphic if what I've done at home with my two PCs...(kickass Paint skills right?? :wink: )
http://img143.exs.cx/img143/7408/untitled8pw.th.jpg (http://img143.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img143&image=untitled8pw.jpg)

[RC45]

It will be cheaper to buy a router (they are about $30 online) in the long run.

http://shop2.outpost.com/catreq/5738

But the simplest would be, as you say, to put 3 or more ethernet cards into the "server" system - and let it be your router, then just connet the 2, 3 or more PC's up to the 3rd.

:)

[m3mys3lf4ndi]

.I know this can be done with two PCs, I just don't know if it can be done with three... :?



sure it can. i've got 4 pc's linked together... one is sharing connection, rest is plugged into the hub. its far from perfect ;) but since my isp upgraded our broadband to 1.5 Mbit its not that bad ;) but anyway im thinkin about gettin seccond one when only 4 Mbit connection will be available in my area :twisted: :twisted:

[Refefer]

Hubs work fine with any cable modems/dsl modems... there problems lies with the fact that the number of computers that can get online at once are limited by the number of ips your modem provides you so that if you have 1 ip address, you can only have one comp on at once, 2 ips, two computers at a time, and so on.

Just spring the cash for the router. I managed to get a wireless d-link router with a build in 8 port 10/100 switch for $7 bucks after rebates and it will be 10 times more secure (NAT) and 100 times easier to configure, not to mention that you can turn off a computer and not lose connectivity with the other 3 :D

[5vz-fe]

Hubs work fine with any cable modems/dsl modems... there problems lies with the fact that the number of computers that can get online at once are limited by the number of ips your modem provides you so that if you have 1 ip address, you can only have one comp on at once, 2 ips, two computers at a time, and so on.

Just spring the cash for the router. I managed to get a wireless d-link router with a build in 8 port 10/100 switch for $7 bucks after rebates and it will be 10 times more secure (NAT) and 100 times easier to configure, not to mention that you can turn off a computer and not lose connectivity with the other 3 :D

D-Link routers, if I recall correctly, are using NAT too...........

[Refefer]

Hubs work fine with any cable modems/dsl modems... there problems lies with the fact that the number of computers that can get online at once are limited by the number of ips your modem provides you so that if you have 1 ip address, you can only have one comp on at once, 2 ips, two computers at a time, and so on.

Just spring the cash for the router. I managed to get a wireless d-link router with a build in 8 port 10/100 switch for $7 bucks after rebates and it will be 10 times more secure (NAT) and 100 times easier to configure, not to mention that you can turn off a computer and not lose connectivity with the other 3 :D

D-Link routers, if I recall correctly, are using NAT too...........

Wow, I definately wrote that poorly...

What I meant was that using a router will be 100 times easier than doing the multiple network cards in one computer thing Chaos was looking at.