Ethernet cable "splitter"?

Cutwolf · Cutwolf #1 (**permalink**)

08-28-2007, 11:54 PM

In my campus apartment we have 1 ethernet jack in each room. I have my laptop and my Xbox 360. I'd love to be able to have both hooked up without having to take my cord from my laptop and bring it to my 360 and put it back everytime I want to use one or the other.

They don't even necessarily have to be usable at the same time (although if they can, cool), I just want the convenience of not having to move one wire around repeatedly as the layout of my room and wires makes this difficult.

I asked in radio shack and the guy pointed me to a router which really isn't what I want. For one, the network doesn't allow routers; for two, I don't need all that funcitionality. I want something cheap and quick. When I told him this, he mentioned something called a "workgroup switch" which they didn't carry, but I'm not sure if he knew what he was talking about or what exactly I wanted.

Anyone know of something that fits my needs?

Levi · Levi #2 (**permalink**)

08-29-2007, 12:08 AM

I would also say get a router/hub/switch (I've always viewed them as the same thing; I'm not aware of any differences), but as you point out most colleges don't allow "network infrastructure hardware" to be added to their network.

I'm not aware of a standalone "splitter", and that might also be viewed negatively by the college (as far as I'm aware those rules exist to stop you using two or more things on the network at once and overloading it).

Cutwolf · Cutwolf #3 (**permalink**)

08-29-2007, 12:30 AM

I just want something that allows me to switch from one to the other at, say, a press of the button as opposed to physically switching wires.

baggss · baggss #4 (**permalink**)

08-29-2007, 01:06 AM

You could just get a hub. It does what you want and usually supports up to 2 devices.

Eric559 · Eric559 #5 (**permalink**)

08-29-2007, 01:10 AM

Here's how to make one: http://www.instructables.com/id/EIHOQ7XRIJEP287JUF/

Edit: Here's what your looking for: http://www.instawares.com/qvs-350mhz...c5ymff.0.7.htm

Cutwolf · Cutwolf #6 (**permalink**)

08-29-2007, 01:10 AM

re: hub

I don't think that would work since the campus network doesn't allow that.

I'm looking for something that has 1 incoming ethernet hole and 2 outgoing, laptop plugged in 1 and xbox 360 plugged in other. When I'm on my laptop, I want it to be sending a signal only to my laptop. When I'm on my 360, I want to flip a switch and have it send the signal only to my 360.

Basically, it'd allow me to "virtually" switch wires without physically doing so.

Thats the only way around the campus ban on networking gear, I'd think.

ste6168 · ste6168 #7 (**permalink**)

08-29-2007, 01:12 AM

this should do the job newegg

edit- ihave read the other posts. how the heck is the network going to know if your running a hub/switch? its not like you are setting up a sub-network like a router would. right?

Cutwolf · Cutwolf #8 (**permalink**)

08-29-2007, 01:43 AM

I'm not entirely sure if a simple hub would work or wouldn't work, but a regular router failed as did a wireless.

baggss · baggss #9 (**permalink**)

08-29-2007, 01:51 AM

The network would only know if each device tried to pull an individual IP while on the same line...

mac57 · mac57 #10 (**permalink**)

08-29-2007, 12:13 PM

Get a 5 port switch, not a hub. Hubs run half duplex, while a switch dedicates full bandwidth to each connected line. The difference is huge in performance.

Audio.Trench · Audio.Trench #11 (**permalink**)

08-29-2007, 01:55 PM

Get a router, it acts as a DHCP server and assigns an IP to each device connected automatically.

You're going to want this for your Xbox and your computer. Although your college doesn't allow it, how are they honestly going to know?

My school was like that and I've had RA's and dorm staff in and out of my room several times, not mentioning anything about it.

ste6168 · ste6168 #12 (**permalink**)

08-29-2007, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by punkr0x0r

Get a router, it acts as a DHCP server and assigns an IP to each device connected automatically.

You're going to want this for your Xbox and your computer. Although your college doesn't allow it, how are they honestly going to know?

My school was like that and I've had RA's and dorm staff in and out of my room several times, not mentioning anything about it.

same here...

skye · skye #13 (**permalink**)

08-29-2007, 11:26 PM

yeah my college allows it i just need to register the IP with them

PowerBookG4 · PowerBookG4 #14 (**permalink**)

08-30-2007, 12:41 AM

i would just run 2 wires.. and instead of dragging it to the other side of the room when you want to switch just unplug one from the jack and plug the other one in.. that way its almost like switching a switch, you just will have 2 wires going to the jack, but only one plugged in at a time.

Levi #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Jul 06, 2007 Location: UK Posts: 681 Mac Specs: MBP : 2.4GHz : 2GB RAM : 256MB VRAM : 160GB HDD	08-29-2007, 12:08 AM I would also say get a router/hub/switch (I've always viewed them as the same thing; I'm not aware of any differences), but as you point out most colleges don't allow "network infrastructure hardware" to be added to their network. I'm not aware of a standalone "splitter", and that might also be viewed negatively by the college (as far as I'm aware those rules exist to stop you using two or more things on the network at once and overloading it). Koalas: The mafia of the animal kingdom. Now Powered By Leopard.
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Eric559 #5 (permalink)
Member Since: Jul 18, 2007 Location: Central California Posts: 3,185 Mac Specs: 2.16GHz C2D MacBook w/ 2GB RAM & 120GB HD. HTC Droid Incredible.	08-29-2007, 01:10 AM Here's how to make one: http://www.instructables.com/id/EIHOQ7XRIJEP287JUF/ Edit: Here's what your looking for: http://www.instawares.com/qvs-350mhz...c5ymff.0.7.htm Last edited by Eric559; 08-29-2007 at 01:16 AM.
	QUOTE Thanks

mac57 #10 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 29, 2006 Location: St. Somewhere Posts: 4,547 Mac Specs: PowerMac G5 Quad, 2.5 GHz, 4 Core, 120 GB SSD, 500 GB HDD	08-29-2007, 12:13 PM Get a 5 port switch, not a hub. Hubs run half duplex, while a switch dedicates full bandwidth to each connected line. The difference is huge in performance. My Macs: PowerMac G5 Quad, 2.5 GHz, 4 Core, Mac Pro, 3.2 GHz 8 Core, Power Macintosh 7500/100 My iStuff: 32 GB iPhone 4, 30 GB iPod Video, 16 GB iPod Touch My OS': Mac OS X Tiger, Mac OS X Snow Leopard, Mac OS X Leopard, Mac OS 8.6, openSUSE 10.3, Win XP I was on the Mac-Forums honor roll for September 2007
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skye #13 (permalink)
Member Since: Sep 12, 2006 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 1,224 Mac Specs: Macbook 2.0ghz coeduo 1GB RAM 80 GB HD SuperDrive	08-29-2007, 11:26 PM yeah my college allows it i just need to register the IP with them Blog- My random musings as I document the spiritual changes I go through. "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1st Corinithians 3:13
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PowerBookG4 #14 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 08, 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 6,190 Mac Specs: Mac Pro 8x3.0ghz 12gb ram 8800GT , MBP 2.16 2GB Ram 17 inch.	08-30-2007, 12:41 AM i would just run 2 wires.. and instead of dragging it to the other side of the room when you want to switch just unplug one from the jack and plug the other one in.. that way its almost like switching a switch, you just will have 2 wires going to the jack, but only one plugged in at a time. My Website Blog I love my hosting company! I was on the M-F honor roll for Febuary:2006
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Cutwolf #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Aug 07, 2007 Posts: 72	08-28-2007, 11:54 PM In my campus apartment we have 1 ethernet jack in each room. I have my laptop and my Xbox 360. I'd love to be able to have both hooked up without having to take my cord from my laptop and bring it to my 360 and put it back everytime I want to use one or the other. They don't even necessarily have to be usable at the same time (although if they can, cool), I just want the convenience of not having to move one wire around repeatedly as the layout of my room and wires makes this difficult. I asked in radio shack and the guy pointed me to a router which really isn't what I want. For one, the network doesn't allow routers; for two, I don't need all that funcitionality. I want something cheap and quick. When I told him this, he mentioned something called a "workgroup switch" which they didn't carry, but I'm not sure if he knew what he was talking about or what exactly I wanted. Anyone know of something that fits my needs?
	QUOTE Thanks

baggss #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Oct 10, 2004 Location: Margaritaville Posts: 10,306 Mac Specs: 27" 3.4 Ghz i7 iMac-13" C2D Macbook-OSX 18.8.2-64Gb iPad 2-32 Gb iPhone 5-ATV 2-14Tb of Storage	08-29-2007, 01:06 AM You could just get a hub. It does what you want and usually supports up to 2 devices.
	QUOTE Thanks

Cutwolf #6 (permalink)
Member Since: Aug 07, 2007 Posts: 72	08-29-2007, 01:10 AM re: hub I don't think that would work since the campus network doesn't allow that. I'm looking for something that has 1 incoming ethernet hole and 2 outgoing, laptop plugged in 1 and xbox 360 plugged in other. When I'm on my laptop, I want it to be sending a signal only to my laptop. When I'm on my 360, I want to flip a switch and have it send the signal only to my 360. Basically, it'd allow me to "virtually" switch wires without physically doing so. Thats the only way around the campus ban on networking gear, I'd think.
	QUOTE Thanks

ste6168 #7 (permalink)
Member Since: Dec 24, 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 514 Mac Specs: 1.5ghz Powerbook G4 17" 2gb RAM	08-29-2007, 01:12 AM this should do the job newegg edit- ihave read the other posts. how the heck is the network going to know if your running a hub/switch? its not like you are setting up a sub-network like a router would. right?
	QUOTE Thanks

Cutwolf #8 (permalink)
Member Since: Aug 07, 2007 Posts: 72	08-29-2007, 01:43 AM I'm not entirely sure if a simple hub would work or wouldn't work, but a regular router failed as did a wireless.
	QUOTE Thanks

baggss #9 (permalink)
Member Since: Oct 10, 2004 Location: Margaritaville Posts: 10,306 Mac Specs: 27" 3.4 Ghz i7 iMac-13" C2D Macbook-OSX 18.8.2-64Gb iPad 2-32 Gb iPhone 5-ATV 2-14Tb of Storage	08-29-2007, 01:51 AM The network would only know if each device tried to pull an individual IP while on the same line...
	QUOTE Thanks

Audio.Trench #11 (permalink)
Member Since: Oct 03, 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,719 Mac Specs: Custom PC	08-29-2007, 01:55 PM Get a router, it acts as a DHCP server and assigns an IP to each device connected automatically. You're going to want this for your Xbox and your computer. Although your college doesn't allow it, how are they honestly going to know? My school was like that and I've had RA's and dorm staff in and out of my room several times, not mentioning anything about it.
	QUOTE Thanks

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