What equipment do I need ?

Hi,
I have a desktop PC which is on Broadband connected to a USB modem.

I also have a laptop and another desktop in the next room. I want to
network the three PC's together to share the broadband connection (not
bothered particullary about file sharing).

I just want to network them with cables (not wireless) because they
are close together and I must keep the cost as low as possible. I also
if possible don't want to have to leave the main PC on when I want to
go on the net with either of the other two.

I would appreciate some advise if this is possible and a list of what
gear I need to do the job. I am baffled by modems/routers/wan/lan etc
etc.

Many thanks

Alan

"Alan" wrote in message
...
Hi,
I have a desktop PC which is on Broadband connected to a USB modem.

I also have a laptop and another desktop in the next room. I want to
network the three PC's together to share the broadband connection (not
bothered particullary about file sharing).

I just want to network them with cables (not wireless) because they
are close together and I must keep the cost as low as possible. I also
if possible don't want to have to leave the main PC on when I want to
go on the net with either of the other two.

I would appreciate some advise if this is possible and a list of what
gear I need to do the job. I am baffled by modems/routers/wan/lan etc
etc.



You just need a router. As you have a USB broadband modem I am not entirely
sure you could connect that to a router, unless it has an ethernet port as
well.

So if you are on ADSL I would suggest you get a router with integrated modem
and a four-port hub. You can get these for around £50.

ss.

"Synapse Syndrome" wrote in message
...

"Alan" wrote in message
...
Hi,
I have a desktop PC which is on Broadband connected to a USB modem.

I also have a laptop and another desktop in the next room. I want to
network the three PC's together to share the broadband connection (not
bothered particullary about file sharing).

I just want to network them with cables (not wireless) because they
are close together and I must keep the cost as low as possible. I also
if possible don't want to have to leave the main PC on when I want to
go on the net with either of the other two.

I would appreciate some advise if this is possible and a list of what
gear I need to do the job. I am baffled by modems/routers/wan/lan etc
etc.



You just need a router. As you have a USB broadband modem I am not
entirely
sure you could connect that to a router, unless it has an ethernet port as
well.

So if you are on ADSL I would suggest you get a router with integrated
modem
and a four-port hub. You can get these for around £50.


This is what PCWorld have:
http://www.pcwcomponentcentre.co.uk/invt/radslc4

If your USB modem has an ethernet connection this will do:
http://www.pcwcomponentcentre.co.uk/invt/13563

ss.

"Synapse Syndrome" wrote in message
...

This is what PCWorld have:
http://www.pcwcomponentcentre.co.uk/invt/radslc4

If your USB modem has an ethernet connection this will do:
http://www.pcwcomponentcentre.co.uk/invt/13563



Whoops. Actually that last one doesn't have a 4 port switch. This has:
http://www.pcwcomponentcentre.co.uk/invt/br4100dcgb

ss.

On Fri, 03 Sep 2004 09:27:39 GMT, "Synapse Syndrome"
wrote:


This is what PCWorld have:
http://www.pcwcomponentcentre.co.uk/invt/radslc4


Many thanks for that, my current modem doesn't have an ethernet port
in it (Its a USB BT modem) so I'll go for the one above. I presume the
one above has a modem in it ?

What cables do I need..what are they called (sorry for seeming a bit
uneducated)

Alan

"Synapse Syndrome" wrote:

This is what PCWorld have:
http://www.pcwcomponentcentre.co.uk/invt/radslc4

Alan wrote:

Many thanks for that, my current modem doesn't have an ethernet port
in it (Its a USB BT modem) so I'll go for the one above. I presume the
one above has a modem in it ?

What cables do I need..what are they called (sorry for seeming a bit
uneducated)

You'll need an Ethernet patch cable to go from each PC to the modem.
From that same website:

http://www.pcwcomponentcentre.co.uk/icat/kb

Synapse Syndrome did not mention this, but it should be made explicit:
You'll need a network adapter in each PC that is to connect to the modem.

This is fairly typical in newer PC's, and even more common in laptops.
(You should be able to spot the connector on your PC--it looks like an
extra wide (8 wires instead of 4) modular telephone connector.)

You need a Router; specifically I would recommend getting one of the most
popular ones sold: a Linksys BEFSR41 4-port Router. (Linksys is a division
of Cisco, the world leader in routers.)

--
DaveW



"Alan" wrote in message
...
Hi,
I have a desktop PC which is on Broadband connected to a USB modem.

I also have a laptop and another desktop in the next room. I want to
network the three PC's together to share the broadband connection (not
bothered particullary about file sharing).

I just want to network them with cables (not wireless) because they
are close together and I must keep the cost as low as possible. I also
if possible don't want to have to leave the main PC on when I want to
go on the net with either of the other two.

I would appreciate some advise if this is possible and a list of what
gear I need to do the job. I am baffled by modems/routers/wan/lan etc
etc.

Many thanks

Alan

"Grinder" wrote in message
news:As4_c.29051$_g7.24204@attbi_s52...
"Synapse Syndrome" wrote:

This is what PCWorld have:
http://www.pcwcomponentcentre.co.uk/invt/radslc4

Alan wrote:

Many thanks for that, my current modem doesn't have an ethernet port
in it (Its a USB BT modem) so I'll go for the one above. I presume the
one above has a modem in it ?

What cables do I need..what are they called (sorry for seeming a bit
uneducated)

You'll need an Ethernet patch cable to go from each PC to the modem.
From that same website:

http://www.pcwcomponentcentre.co.uk/icat/kb

Synapse Syndrome did not mention this, but it should be made explicit:
You'll need a network adapter in each PC that is to connect to the modem.

This is fairly typical in newer PC's, and even more common in laptops.
(You should be able to spot the connector on your PC--it looks like an
extra wide (8 wires instead of 4) modular telephone connector.)


Oh yeah, I forgot about those, and forgot to mention the cables. As I have
so many of these around the place I forget that some people actually have to
buy them. The network cards (NIC) cost around a tenner each.

ss.

"Alan" wrote in message
...
Hi,
I have a desktop PC which is on Broadband connected to a USB modem.

I also have a laptop and another desktop in the next room. I want to
network the three PC's together to share the broadband connection (not
bothered particullary about file sharing).

I just want to network them with cables (not wireless) because they
are close together and I must keep the cost as low as possible. I also
if possible don't want to have to leave the main PC on when I want to
go on the net with either of the other two.

I would appreciate some advise if this is possible and a list of what
gear I need to do the job. I am baffled by modems/routers/wan/lan etc
etc.

Many thanks

Alan

The best thing for you to do, assuming you are renting the modem, would be to
call your ISP (looks like BT/yahoo) and ask them to send you a real modem that
uses ethernet. Not only will this make your choice of routers better, you also
get a bit better performance out of the ethernet models.

Then buy something like the Linksys BEFSR41, which is a 4 port router. Dlink
has some cheaper offerings, but I've had many friends who have had problems with
them, and I know linksys has decent tech support and RMAs.

You will also need a ethernet card in each computer, and the laptop. They may
already have them. As another poster said, they look like a phone jack, only
bigger, and has 8 pins for the wires to connect to.

Lastly you need 3 ethernet cables, long enough to run to each of the computers.
Make sure you give yourself enough extra length to run them around doorways and
such so they are out of the way.

Here in canada, the router costs about CAD$80, the network cards are about $15
each, and the cables around $10-30 each depending on how long you need them.