What options do I have for a 3-PC wired network?

[DJ EndurancE]

I am new to networking, so I am seeking help yet again from the forums!

I am wanting to connect 3 PCs together on a wired network -- just for home use. I would like to know what options I have available for doing this, and what equipment I would need. (And how I could keep it low cost!) I've been planning to connect 2 computers with a crossover cable, but now I'd like to add a third machine that I just finished rebuilding.

Would love any help I can get. :nerd:

 

[Greg]

If you want all of these computers to be able to access the internet then you need a router, such as this one (unless your modem has a DHCP server built in). You might want to buy a wireless router if you think you might want one in the future.

If you don't need the computers to be able to access the internet (or your modem has DHCP) then you can use a switch or a hub.

 

[C0RR0SIVE]

Don't bother getting a hub, they don't support gigabit, and a switch is far more efficient...

 

[CalcProgrammer1]

You need a router. I'm assuming none of your devices have a DCHP server, as it is uncommon for anything but routers to have this. Go to Best Buy, Circuit City, or even Wal-Mart (or other store that has computer stuff) and look for a router. All you'll need is a 4-port Wired Ethernet router, but for just a bit more you can probably get a wireless 54g router in case you ever decide to use a WiFi device (Nintendo Wii, DS, PSP, laptop, PDA, iPhone, digital camera, etc) in the future. You can disable the wireless function on a wireless router if you don't want to take the security risk of leaving it on, but you can then turn it on later if you need it.

Plug your modem into the WAN port on your router, then plug the PC's into the LAN ports (probably 4 of them). If you ever add more wired computers, you can expand your network using a switch. Plug a cord between one of the router's LAN ports to any port on the switch, and you'll have more ports (the router's DCHP server will assign IP addresses to devices on the switch as well).

 

[DJ EndurancE]

Thanks for the input!

But there's one thing I should make clear -- I'm on dialup internet. (Probably one of the few left on this forum, lol!) The main family computer is on dialup, and I'm not concerned with getting the other 2 computers online at the moment.....

So would I still be looking at a router? Or would just a regular hub be needed?

(I'm not sure what a DCHP server is, but I'm sure I don't have one.) :freak:

 

[Greg]

Alright, then a hub or a switch will work fine.

If something has DHCP it means that it can automatically assign IP addresses to all of the computers that are hooked up to it. In your case you can just buy a hub or a switch and manually assign all of the IPs.

 

[DJ EndurancE]

I see. Thanks for the help!

Just one other question: Can I get internet access through the switch, or will that only work through a router?

 

[Greg]

I don't know a lot about dial-up, but you would probably be able to set up the main computer with dial-up, hook up a switch to its ethernet port, and connect all of the other computers to that. It would require some configuration, of course, but there would be no need for a router. If you had cable or perhaps DSL (depends on the modem, I believe) then you would need a router.

How I understand it is the only reason why you need a router is because when sharing a WAN connection from a cable modem or similar the router acts like a bridge between the outside network (WAN, the internet) and your LAN. A hub or a switch cannot do this. The way I explained above for dial-up would basically be having the computer with the dial-up modem act as the bridge, rather than a router.
(This may not be 100% correct, but the general concept is)


WAN = Wide Area Network (the internet)
LAN = Local Area Network (your network)


You could probably also find an external dial-up modem with one or more ethernet jacks, I'm not sure. I don't have very much experience at all with dial-up.

 

[DJ EndurancE]

You could probably also find an external dial-up modem with one or more ethernet jacks, I'm not sure. I don't have very much experience at all with dial-up.

I think I may have see those around before -- years ago when everyone had dial-up. I'll take a look around and see what I can find. Don't want to put too much $$ into this, as I'll be switching to DSL in a year or so anyway, and will probably end up getting a wireless router!

But thanks so much for all your help. I learn more every time I post on this forum!

 

[Greg]

Could this be what you're looking for? I'm not sure how this would work with a switch, but it would probably work with a router.

Newegg.com - Actiontec GS002AN201 56Kbps Ethernet Port Dual PC Modem - Retail

It's also at CompUSA, if you really wanted to drive to Tigard, heh.



And no problem. Feel free to let me know if you have any more questions.