Internet Service Provider (ISP) -> modem -> router -> switch -> computers

If you only have a single fixed (aka static) IP address, then only one device on your network is going to be seen by your ISP: the device using that IP address.  If you try to configure multiple devices with the same IP address, only one of them can be up and on the network at any one time or you will have IP address conflicts which will knock one or both of the devices off the network while the conflict lasts.

 

If you configure the WAN port on the router with the static IP, and use the router's DHCP functions to assign internal IPs (or you can use internal static IPs if needed) then all devices getting IPs from the router, and using it as the default gateway, should be able to get out to the internet all at once.

 

[edit] And i almost forgot: you'd connect the switch to one of the LAN ports on the router to extend the number of connections available on your internal network (e.g., you'd have router -> computer and router -> switch -> computer as options for how your network is configured).

That was the original hookup

 

No other way to do it?

Think of the switch as an extention cord for the router.  A switch cannot route traffic.

 

Hookup four 5 port switches to the router and you can now conenct 24 devices to a 4 port router.  (4 switches + 20 clients)

I was finally able to figure this out.

 

I shut off the DCHP settings and instead of using the internet in port on the router, used one of the out ports to connect the switchbox and it works.

 

 

Thanks for all your help.......

 

Linda