AT&T Broadband???

That $10 a month adds up over time to be far more than the cost of the router. And what happens when you want to add a third computer? Get the router.

8100 1.7G P4
768M PC800 - 40ns
40G ATA 100 Hard Drive
24X CDRW
16X DVD
Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro
Logitech USB Mouse
Nvidia 64M GeForce 3
NEC MultiSync FE 950+ Monitor
Soundblaster Live
Klipsch ProMedia 4.1THX Speakers
Windows XP Pro
CyberPower UPS
HP 970 CSE Printer
Epson C80 Printer
Epson Perfection 1650 Scanner

I have been using a 4 port router to connect 4 computers through a cable modem for the last 2 years. It definitely works. The only reason someone would pay the extra $10/month is because they don't know much about computers, broadband companies usually state that they don't support home networks (which just means they will not give technical support to help get the network configured and they may make you unplug the router and connect to a single computer before helping you), and broadband companies would prefer that you paid as much as possible for the service, so they usually don't encourage people to use a router.

Steve

no, no doubt im keeping the router. I am just wondering why someone would pay $10 more per month if they could just buy a router. BUT for SURE the router will let me branch the connection to both PC's w/o paying the extra $10?

thanks
Sean

With a router you can have 2 computers (or more) sharing the same broadband modem. The router will get a single IP address from the broadband modem and assign local IP addresses to the individual computers. With this setup you do not need to purchase more than 1 IP address. Keep the router, avoid paying the extra $10/month.

Steve

Yes, a router will let you connect two (or more) computers to one cable modem. You do not have to pay the extra $10 a month.
To answer you question about why would anybody pay the extra money, all I can think of is, for example, in my case my cable provider does not provide tech support for the home network, so I guess is that some people feel more at ease if they pay the extra money and their cable provider does provide the tech support should the connection fail. But this is just a guess :-)

But let me asure you again, you can hook up your pc's to a router and therefore need only to pay for one ip address.
take care,
marsec

so what your saying is..... if i bought the extra IP address, i would not need a router? Why wouldnt someone just buy a router instead of paying $10/month for the extra address?

thanks
Sean

The only people who pay the extra $10 per month are those who don't understand how a router would solve their issue.

As for will it definetly work- YES. I've had a similar set up for about three years and have four computers hooked through a linksys router to a toshiba cable modem. Works great.

8100 1.7G P4
768M PC800 - 40ns
40G ATA 100 Hard Drive
24X CDRW
16X DVD
Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro
Logitech USB Mouse
Nvidia 64M GeForce 3
NEC MultiSync FE 950+ Monitor
Soundblaster Live
Klipsch ProMedia 4.1THX Speakers
Windows XP Pro
CyberPower UPS
HP 970 CSE Printer
Epson C80 Printer
Epson Perfection 1650 Scanner

Message Edited on 08/28/02 11:04PM by Greenwood

There was no answer when I began my post - but found I had cut two (or more) people once I typed it out and posted. My apologies - Don

8100 1.7G P4
768M PC800 - 40ns
40G ATA 100 Hard Drive
24X CDRW
16X DVD
Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro
Logitech USB Mouse
Nvidia 64M GeForce 3
NEC MultiSync FE 950+ Monitor
Soundblaster Live
Klipsch ProMedia 4.1THX Speakers
Windows XP Pro
CyberPower UPS
HP 970 CSE Printer
Epson C80 Printer
Epson Perfection 1650 Scanner

No problem here (I also cut due to my slow typing). Hopefully the message has been fully reinforced.

Steve

i would use the router, get a couple of d-link ethernet cards. i bought the linksys router, but i quess there are some onther good ones such as netgear. the d-link ehernet cards can be bought here http://www.newegg.com for $10. i configure it to use automatic dhcp as my connection. i have no problems running linux with the linkys and d-link cards, as least no problems with suse, mandrake , redhat, and slackware

i like animals-they taste good

dell t-series

system 1-
amd xp +2000
soyo kt333 dragon ultra platinum
sony g520 21-inch monitor
2-40 gb maxtor ata 133 hard drives -raid 0
windows xp
creative labs 12x-10-32 cd-rw
lite-on 16x dvd drive
d-link 530 ethernet card
creative labs platinum live
klipsch pro-media 4.1 speakers
hp 1000 photo smart printer
logitech cordless keyboard and mouse
leadtek geforce 4 ti4400
linksys router
mitsumi floppy drive
antec 1200 tower case and 350 watt enermax
512 mg pc2700 ddr memory

system 2-
amd xp+1800
gig ga -7dxr+
sony g520 dual inputs
mandrake 8.2
sould blaster live
hardon-kardon 695 speakers
logitech cordless mouse and keyboard
elsa geforce 2 gts 32 ddr gladiac
samsung 8x dvd drive
2 ibm 45 and 60 gb hard drives-raid 0
teac floppy drive
d-link ethernet card 530
antec 3 bay case and antec 350 watt psu

system 3
hitachi cm772 19-inch monitor
abit kg7-r board
athlon xp +1600
red hat 7.3
ibm 60gb hard drive
12x creative labs dvd drive
microsoft intell mouse and natural pro keyboard
sant cruz sound card
leadtek geforce 3
d-link ethernet card
irwin mid-tower case-300watt psu







Linux Forever
dell t-series
ronss -Phoenix,arizona

While it may not apply in this case, there are reasons to buy the additional IP addresses.
The additional addresses allow running running servers on each system. Usually the cable contract prohibits servers, but for DSL, which I've got, there's no restriction.

Also the economics haven't always been the same. When my son bought a router a couple years ago, they ran about $200. Our ISP sells additional IP addresses for $5/month and with simple hubs at the time going for about $80, it would take 2 years to make up the difference. If thinwire networking were used (nobody does this any more), the total $200 would have to be absorbed so the payback would be nearly 4 years. I've always used one system as my gateway (it has two NICs, one for the DSL modem and the other for the LAN) and a switch. Of course the computer costs more than $200 and has to be left on all the time, which is why my son went with the router.



Dimension 8200, 2.2GHz, 512MB, 80+60GB, Philips DVD+RW, 1702FP, SB Live! 1024, WinXP Pro (Home system)
Dimension 4300S, 1.6GHz, 384MB, 40GB, 16x10x40x CDRW, 1702FP, integrated sound, WinXP Home. (Wife's system)
Inspiron 8200, 1.6GHz, 256MB, 30GB, WiFi, DVD, SXGA+, WinXP Home. (portable)
Dimension 4100, 1GHz, 256MB, 40GB, 12x8x32x CDRW, integrated sound, Win2K (Fathers system I maintain)
Homebrew, 1GHz, 512MB, 30GB, 12x8x32x CDRW, 32x CDROM, integrated sound, Win2K.(Work system)
(other monitors 19-21" CRT, 100BaseT networking, mundane video cards
and speakers, Microsoft&Logitech wheel mice, Northgate Omnikey and
Dell keyboards)

Sean,
haven't been online for a couple of days....looks like your post has been answered fully; however, since I went through setting up a LAN last September, thought the following links might be useful to you;;;;;

http://www.homenethelp.com/router-guide/index.asp
http://www.speedguide.net/
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/

Also, check the website of your router.....I have a Linksy and they provide heaps of information on how to set your network up...........with pictures and wizards.....most others probably do the same..

good luck..


XPS T450 [SE440BX-3]A11 BIOS- Powerleap 1.2
Maxtor ATA133 80 Ghz and ATA 133 Controller
Maxtor 13.6 (Original Drive) on Controller Secondary
Hitachi GD5000 DVD, TDK 32/10/40 CDRW/Nero
ATI All in Wonder 128 Pro AGP 32 Mhz
TB Montego II - Altec 495 Speakers
Windows 2000 Pro, SP 2, IE 6
Roadrunner on Linksy BEFSR41 LAN

Just to let people know, i bought the D-Link 10/100 cards from best buy, $4.99 each after $20 rebate. And i also got a LinkSys 4Port Router for $60 - $10 rebate. Hopefully this will meet my needs, like i think it will.

thanks
Sean

If someone had two IP addresses, they would have the full speed on both systems. For example, if the speed one gets is 5000kbps through a single IP address, which is connected to a router, and both computers were downloading a file at max speed, both systems would download at about 2500kbps each. If you have two IP addresses, each system would download at 5000kbps each.

Hope that clarifies!

Dave