LAN Connections to Alcatel Speed Touch DSL Modem 1

[dslspectre]

Background: I know enough about computers to assemble and LAN several together to form a home network. Since many things are auto-configured during software installation, its hard to know exactly what is happening for my level of knowledge. My LAN of 4 computers works without a problem.

Situation: I have a new DSL account with BellSouth and am the receipient of an Alcatel Speed Touch Home DSL Modem. BellSouth tells me the modem will support up to 5 connections/computers via LAN. In my simple mind, that means hook the modem into the LAN and up to 5 computers can connect to the internet at once (you can stop laughing now). What I have been able to do is connect two computers at once to the internet at full bandwidth, but any attempts to connect a third are rejected (error message from EnterNet 300 software - I0112 Contacting Server: No Response Timeout) just as if there was no connection to the LAN. I have read the Alcatel Manual and admit large portions of it are greek to me. I have a SOHO 5 port 10T hub. The modem is connected into one port with a cross-over cable. My other 4 computers are direct connected.

Question (finally): Can the ST Home allow 5 users to connect at once? Is there some configuration I need to change? (I have tried to access my ST Home with the web interface without success) For those of you who are network savvy, please suggest a path forward. I would like to connect my 4 computers to the internet at once with some useful bandwidth. If that means changing hardware or adding hardware, please explain why.

Thanks Very Much in Advance for helping a network newbie...

 

[vasilepoenaru]

I never used this kind of Alcatel Produsct but you should be aware of a few things:

If if somehow have a connection to Internet you could have as many computer benefit from it. To things goes like this:

Facts:
1. You have a computer connected to inernet (at one side) and to you LAN (on the other side). Notice that instead of this "computer" I am telling you about, you could have a dedicated device to do that job (which I thing it's your case - Alcatel DSL modem). It has a connection to inernet (via DSL line) and to your LAN (via Ethernet cable). This kind of device is called PROXY server.
2.To understand a little this concept you shoul know that are two types of IP addresses: routable and non-routable. Routable adreses are limited and very well administrated (at least they should be). Non-routale ones (as 192.168.xxx.xxx - which I think it's your case) could be used at free will of anybody because they are not available on Internet and are used for internal LAN exclusively.
3. At the Internet connected end of the proxy server is a routable adress (assigned by you ISP). At the other end is an IP andress of the same type you have in your LAN (this is called as beeing in the same class). This IP adress (example: 192.168.100.1) will be set as the "gateway" for all the PCs in your LAN.
4. The proxy server converts any non-routable address from you LAN into the routable adress from the end connected to Internet. Any regular (even free) software could do that for as many non-routable IPs as you want. I suppose that the Alcatel's software has a limitation of 5 adresses (due to many considerations which I will not expose here). Following this conversions all the PCs in you LAN will act as they would have the routable address when accessing the Internet

What you shoul do:
1. Assure that you have TCP/IP protocol installed on every PC in you lan
2. Configure the IP addres on every PC as in the folowing example: first 192.168.100.2 second 192.168.100.2 ...
3. Ask your ISD for what DNS server you should use and configure the DNS server IP addres on every PC
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!!! If you have a DHCP Server or your DSL modem has implemented one into it reply to this message
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3. Check (using start>run>winipcfg) the IP address, the defaul gateway and DNS for every PC

Now it shoul work
If you want more details let me know.

PS
Excuse my english please ...

 

[dslspectre]

Thanks for the Information. I talked with BellSouth and they are not too helpful since they do not support any networking questions with the supplied equipment. I have also been told that I am not supposed to be able to get more than one connection through my modem. I have been told to use a router. I have not heard good things about hardware routers, so I am trying a copy of Sygate Office Network internet sharing. Its far better than I expected. I have added another network card to my PC (took a bit to get it working) and now have modem going to one NIC and home network going to other NIC. Sygate software seems to run smoothly and allow all PCs fair access to my connection (no real bandwidth degradation). Thanks for the info - I may talk with you in the future. If you think this solution is wrong, let me know. I am VERY new to all this.

 

[SillyBilly]

My USB modem is connected to a DHCP server. I am unable to share the internet connection at all. Can you help?