How to us a Hub?

I have two PCs....high speed internet connection.....ethernet card in each computer.....I have to switch my ISP connection from computer to computer to use the internet on each someone gave me a hub (5 port fast ethernet 10/100) with plug in adapter (no instructions!) Can I use this to share the internet connection.....perhaps share the printer too?? I have no clue as to how to proceed. there are 6 plug ins on this little box with one saying uplink (it is grouped with another plugin by a bracket)?
If possible, how do I use this little piece of hardware...meaning where do I plug in what? and if this won't work, what exactly do I need?
thanks

 

A hub will allow you to connect you computers together to form a small network. You can use internet sharing to share the internet connection on one computer with the other computers. Have a look at this Microsoft article on the subject.

However, a better way to connect a network to the internet (if you have broadband) is to use a router. This device acts as the gateway and bridge between you local network and the internet. I would recommend that you contact your ISP to determine which router would best suit your connection.

The uplink port allows you to connect one hub to another. It does not provide inbuilt internet functionality.

 

I use a hub. Just connect the ISP connection. usually a modem/router to the uplink socket and the computers to any of the other sockets and the modem/router will usually make the setup automatically. Each computer gets an individual address, and can be online whether on not it's mate is online, or even turned on.. If your connection came with software on a disk, use it on each computer.

 

Only the modem/router combo needs an IP address from the ISP. Then it allocates local addresses to the computers. Definitly did NOT purchase anything extra! ISP knows my setup, and no extra charge.

If that's still true, agree. Hopefully the client has a combo. Didn't say.

Think it's worth a try before spending more $.

 

From a command prompt

Click Start / Run / type cmd

when you get the cmd window type ipconfig /all and hit enter.

if your pc has an IP address of 192.168.x.x and a DHCP server of 192.168.x.1 or .254 then most likely your modem has NAT and all is needed is a hub/switch for additional ports.

If you can give us a make and model of the modem we can steer you in the right direction.

 

I think there is some confusion here that needs to be cleared up. It is not helped by the missuse of terms in sales/marketing material describing broadband products.

modem
The clearest definition of a modem is this: A modem allows you to connect one device (e.g. a PC or a router) to a network via a telephone line. It is the device that converts the DSL/ADSL telephone signal into a format that can be used by a computer (USB or Ethernet network). In effect it is a glorified media converter.

Originally a modem was a device that modulated and demodulated a signal to convert the digital signal from a PC to the analogue signal passed over the telephone line. With DSL/ADSL, strictly the device that provides the connect is not modulating/demodulating and therefore is not a modem. However, it is convenient to keep the term to describe the device that converts the Ethernet network signal to a DSL signal that goes over the telephone lines.

router
A router is a network device that allows two networks to be connected together. It acts as the gateway between the two networks. Strictly that's all a router does.

However, as the connection between networks is also often the connection between media types, routers often also have media conversion functionality built in. Also they make the perfect place to add other services such as IP and port blocking: that is firewall functionality.

Another service that makes sense to put on the connection between networks is Network Address Translation (NAT), so this service is available on most internet routers. A version of NAT (sometimes called PAT or NAPT) allows you to share a single IP address for a large number of connections to the internet. It is this NAT functionality that allows you connect a whole network to the internet through a single interent IP address.

The confusion
Unfortunately the desciption of devices put onto products is controlled by marketing departments and not the technical departments. This has confused the terminology. Also the fact that many devices combine the two roles has added to this.

The first broadband routers required a seperate broadband modem. You needed two boxes. Very quickly however, the two were combined. Therefore, most modern broadband routers have a modem built in. So you have devices out there that have both functions. These devices are routers.

Modems often have a USB port and an Ethernet Network port. However, the network port is only used point to point (to connect to a single device), and it is therefore still only acting as a Modem. However, it is fairly trivial to added the extra power and coding for it to act as a router. The device then becomes a combined router/modem. It is no longer just a modem.

Summary
A modem is a point to point device that allows a single device to connect to a network over a telephone line. A modem cannot connect a network to the internet unless there is a router present as well.

A router connects one network to another, for example your home network to the internet. Some routers have modems built in. You can use one of these to connect a network to the internet over a telephone line without having a separate modem. Some routers connect using NAT, othe don't. It is not the use of NAT that defines the difference between a modem and a router.

 

One HUGH advantage to a using a PC > Router > Modem setup is that each machine can be set up 100% individually so that no one depends on the other for anything.

If one machine suddenly decides to mess up it has no effect on the others.

I have three PCs and a Printer plugged into a Router. Any Machine can get to the Internet or the Printer without any other machine being on.

Of course the cost is a bit higher and Internet and Printer software do need to be installed on each machine. But ( at least for me ) it has proven well worth it.

BillyBob

 

Hi again.....well I got 'er done! LOL here's the report....I plugged the ISP line into socket 1, the XP computer into socket 2, the Windows98 computer into socket 3.......I immediately got an error message on W98 computer that read
"the system has detected a conflict for IP address _ __ _ _ __with the system hardware address _ __ _ _ The interface has been disabled. "
( my IP address was in the first set of blanks and other numbers were in the second set.)
I just clicked the notice window shut and the computers function ok on the internet.....
ONE problem. the printer is hooked to computer 1....it prints things fine from computer 1....computer number 2 can't seem to print....it all starts and then gives me a notice that the printer is out of paper(which it isn't)??? Can't I share a printer when hooked to this hub? What am I doing wrong?
thanks
katy