Switch / hub / router?

I have some XP PC's I'm trying to connect.

At the moment I have an ADSL router with an ethernet connection.

If I connect this to my hub I can access the net with all connected machines if I have them set to automatically get address.

Alternatively I can fileshare and communicate with TCP/IP (i.e. programs I've written myself) by manually allocating the IP addresses. However, I cannot then talk to the net either by having it connected to the hub or by connecting it to a second NIC on a machine configured for ICS (which I do not want to use on a permenant basis).

I have been told that that is because I'm using a hub and should be using a switch but despite reading swathes of material I can't really confirm that.

So, I know the router works, I know the hub works, I know the NIC's all work and I know that Windows can communicate with both the net and other machines on the local network.

What I need to know is how I connect them so that the machines can:

1) talk to each other
2) talk to the net without using ICS.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Thanks, that actually makes sense which is more than a lot of what I've read does.

The only problem I have now is that I don't have a manual for the router. It is a Hasbani conexant which I've had for over 5 years (it's worked without problems all that time).

It is accessed in a browser as 10.0.0.2 and it says in the LAN configuration:

DHCP server Yes (checkbox ticked)
System allocated (radio buton - other option: user allocated)
User defined start address 10.0.0.3
User defined end address 10.0.0.14

Lease time 0
User mode Multi-user (other option: single user)

Are the addresses 10.0.0.3-14 equivelant to the 192.168.1.?? addresses you mention above?

 

Yes. They are equivalent. In your case the IP addresses of your computer start from 10.0.0.3 & end at 10.0.0.14 The gateway for your LAN is 10.0.0.2

If the DHCP is enabled on your router, it does not matter if you use a hub or switch, the computers should be able to pick up the correct IP addresses within the above range correctly on booting. Hubs & switches perform the same basic function ie. connect the computers in a LAN. However some old switches/hubs have a downlink/uplink port that has to be used for connecting to another switch/hub/router. In your case, have a look at your hub & see if any such thing is written on it.

 

Thanks a million rsinfo and TonyT, all working now.