splitting an ADSL connection for two computers

[rookie1010]

Hello

I just went for a 2MB ADSL service. the ADSL MODEM has a USB port which plugs into my computer, is there some way i can split such a connection so that two computers can access the net simultaneously.,

i had gone for an ADSL four port MODEM previously, the service i had then was 512 kbps, the MODEM was a 4 port ethernet connection, gues i cant use that old MODEM with the 2 MB service, correct?

 

[Sprooty]

Yes. What you need is a router or hub. A router can act as a Modem and a Hub at the same time. But for a hub u need a modem as well.

It would look like this

Phone Line>>>>>>>Router/Modem>>>PC1
>>>PC2

but if you have a modem and a hub it would go like this

Phone Line>>>>>><Modem>>>>Hub>>>PC1
>>>PC2

So for you the ADSL 4 port modem is actually a Modem/Router and that will work fine with ADSL 2Mbit.

 

[DJ-CHRIS]

Actually a Modem is nothing but a converter hence the name (MoDulate / DEModulate). It's simply converting an analog signal to a digital signal.

Hub is an antique peice of equipment that rebroadcasts a signal on ALL ports. Hub's have been completly been replaced by switches, which only give infomation to the port that requested it.

A router passes infomation between two networks, in your case this would be your home LAN and the internet. They take one IP address you pay for and split it up.

Also just using a modem and hub would not work, with most ISP's using this configuration would only allow one computer to be online at a time.

For small home use I would recomend something like this, It's a router with a built in 4 port switch
http://www1.linksys.com/international/product.asp?coid=6&ipid=367

 

[rookie1010]

thanks for the replies

i guess hubs hare not being done anymore and act on the physical layer whereas switches work on the data link layer 2(?).

dj-chris when yo usay "switches only give information ato the post that requested", you mean that with a switch only one port will be active at the same time

since the ADSL 4 port MODEM/router(?) is from about 2 years ago, perhaps it wont be abe to do 2 MBps, i had got it from a 512 kbps service. would this have been a router where i could have used it for 4 simultaneous connections at the same time


what do you mean by "Also just using a modem and hub would not work, with most ISP's using this configuration would only allow one computer to be online at a time."

i guess i can use some sort of wireless router too, the ADSL MODEM's output.input to the computer is through USB, do routers accept both RJ-45 connections aas well as USB connections?

 

[Trifid]

A switch will send the packets to the port that wants it, and you can have as many computers attatched to it.

I have a Router/modem from about 2 years ago on a 2mb/s connection, and it works great.

I don't know about running a modem -> hub configuration. I thought it was possible, but then again, a hub doesn't have a use anymore.

I used to have a router that had a usb and ethernet output. Now I have a 4port ethernet.


If you want to save money, if you have the host PC on most of the time, you could get a network card, and use internet connection sharing.

 

[rookie1010]

i installed drivers which include some sort of authentication (user,password) for the ADSL connection on my desktop

i was wondering how would it work if i used two computers, one with the drivers and one without the drivers, connected to the router