can 2 computers connect to net via a hub?

[eliboone]

Hello,

I have dsl and a Linksys 5 port hub. When I connect via the hub everything works fine. I have a laptop that I am also trying to connect via the hub but it will not connect. I have tried using a different ethernet cable and different ports but it still will not work. When I unplug the ethernet cable connected to the laptop from the hub I receive a message saying LAN disconnected. I have used the wizard on the laptop to set up a LAN connection.

Any suggestions?

Eli

 

[bcastner]

If you would replace the Linksys switch/hub with a Linksys router your problems would be gone.

Look for Linksys, D-Link, SMC or other brands of 4-port broadband routers. Replace the hub with the new router. Done.

With a little shopping, you are looking at $US 30 for what you need.

 

[eliboone]

Thanks for the reply bcastner.

So is that a yes that a hub will not work for 2 connections?

 

[bcastner]

Without using ICS (requiring a second NIC adapter on one of your machines), it is a Yes, a hub/switch will not permit what you want to do. An inexpensive broadband router would handle this easily.

I will note the caveat that some DSL modems will support a NAT/DHCP server role. You might investigate if your existing modem can be toggled into such a role.

But, without doubt, without question, I would head to my nearest computer or large office product store and purchase the broadband router on sale this week.

Best,
Bill

 

[eliboone]

Thanks bcastner

 

[Jump1ng]

Another benefit with getting a DSL router is that you usually get a firewall in it which means you can protect your computers from one central place and saves you having to configure firewall on each pc.

Even the cheapest DSL router usually come with some kind of firewall capability.

 

[Networker1]

Do you have a DSL modem hooked to the hub in addiion to the 2 PC's?

What is your setting? [list all appliances hooked to the LAN]

Networker1 - A+ CCNA
WebManager - WebLatino.Net
Servicing Puerto Rico & The Caribbean

 

[eliboone]

Yes, I have a DSL Modem hooked up to the hub. The 2 pcs and the ethernet cable are hooked to the hub.

I bought a Belkin 4 port wireless router but when my friend and I play any kind of online game where we join a server with other players (Delta Force) after a few minutes we will start to lag until one of us leaves the server. We turned off the firewall on the router.

 

[Networker1]

When you say "2 pcs and the ethernet cable are hooked to the hub" you mean that each PC has its own cable hooked to the hub?

You should have 3 cables hooked to the hub. The modem's and the 2 PC's. There should be no problem having that configuration. What make/model hub do you have?

As far as the gameserver problem is concern you have to have in mind the following...

A hub shares the bandwidth available with every single port. In other words, you have 2 PC's sharing whatever bandwidth you have available (i.e. 100mbps divided by two). There are more collisions on the media since the hub does not separate each node.
That is probably why the connection to the game server degrades with time.

With a switch you separate each node and each one has the full amount of bandwidth available (i.e. 100 for each port). no collisions.

Networker1 - A+ CCNA
WebManager - WebLatino.Net
Servicing Puerto Rico & The Caribbean

 

[Chr1sUK]

In all fairness, there is no reason why that setup won't work. You don't need two network cards in once pc to use internet connection sharing, I use ICS, with one card in each machine, and have never had any problems.

Ususually though you only need to set up ICS when you are connecing to the internet via another computer, which isn't the case here.

It's true though, a router with a built in switch is the better way to do it, but there is no reason why using the hub should not work. It's probably something small

 

[bcastner]

A hub will not work because the DSL ISP will issue only a single IP.

Once a DHCP request is made by the first workstation turned on, the modem will issue the IP to that workstation. At that point no other workstation can access the internet.

Further, you cannot use Windows ICS with a single adapter in each workstation. The APIs for ICS require that the ICS Host adapter must have an address of 192.168.0.1 and not point to the external WAN interface. The second adapter is to connect the modem to the Host machine, and there is no way around this if the modem is connected to the hub.

If you did modem to Host, Host second adapter to hub. This can work. But not with the modem connected to the hub.

 

[GlenJohnson]

bcastner is correct. What I did was in router configuration, there was a setting to "Clone your mac address". What this did was give the router the ip address of my main card, and that's what went out to the isp. Everything else on the inside was automatically configured using dhcp with a 192.168.2.x. Check documentation on the router or call the isp. They should be able to help. Good luck.

Glen A. Johnson
If you're from Northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin feel free to join the Tek-Tips in Chicago, Illinois Forum.

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