06-17-2008, 04:39 PM

Well I've about got it all pinned down except for a router;

I will of necessity have to run my Window Ex Pee same time as my anticipated new 20" iMac for at least till its all under control and I can shut down my Windows machine. So it seems to me that means a router. Right?

I will not use wireless. I've got cables - had a router couple years back -D-link - it was worth what I payed for it $10. Since it will presumably be temporary I sure don't want to spend a lot.


So. What router might I look for? All that I see seem to be wireless.

I spose I could just swap cables at the modem - wouldn't be too difficult to crawl under the desk then hang over the bookcase each time.........

06-17-2008, 05:07 PM

Presumably what you want to do is to be able to plug a router into your DSL modem, and then plug both your new Mac and your Windows XP box into the router.

In this case, what you want is a switch, not a router. I use one of these myself for this very purpose. Linksys' 5 port switch is very good. I have had one for years. It is reliable, cool running, and completely quiet.

Here is the one I use (this is the Amazon page for it). It is $21.72 before rebate, $11.72 after rebate. A pretty good deal for a pretty good piece of kit. I would recommend it.

06-17-2008, 06:03 PM

No comprendi. With a switch can both comps connect to the net simultaneously? That is my objective.

06-17-2008, 06:19 PM

You don't want a switch. Most of the cable/DSL ISPs will only give you one IP address. So either get a router, or disconnect the PC from the network altogether.

If it's money that's holding you back, I'm going to suggest www.freecycle.org or craigslist.org. For that matter, I routinely pick up G-spec Wireless access points at yard sales for $10 or less all the time.

You can disable the wireless on the router, and leave your PC & Mac cabled, and be very secure.

Good luck,
Perry

06-17-2008, 09:26 PM

Originally Posted by Flumixt

Well I've about got it all pinned down except for a router;

I will of necessity have to run my Window Ex Pee same time as my anticipated new 20" iMac for at least till its all under control and I can shut down my Windows machine. So it seems to me that means a router. Right?

I will not use wireless. I've got cables - had a router couple years back -D-link - it was worth what I payed for it $10. Since it will presumably be temporary I sure don't want to spend a lot.


So. What router might I look for? All that I see seem to be wireless.

I spose I could just swap cables at the modem - wouldn't be too difficult to crawl under the desk then hang over the bookcase each time.........

Look on ebay for 802.11b wireless routers that also have wired ports or for wired routers. You should be able to get something for under $10, including shipping.

06-17-2008, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by PerryLynch

You don't want a switch. Most of the cable/DSL ISPs will only give you one IP address. So either get a router, or disconnect the PC from the network altogether.

Nope. You DO want a switch. This is EXACTLY how I have my network set up at home (more on that below). Pretty much every DSL modem has a DHCP "server" in it ( along with a firewall and a few other goodies too). A DHCP server takes the one external IP address your ISP has given you and translates it back and forth between a seemingly endless number of local IP addresses, which by convention are usually in the range 192.168.x.x.

When your Mac starts up, it sends out a broadcast message to find the nearest responsive DHCP server. it does this in order to get itself assigned an IP address. Your DSL modem's server responds and assigns your Mac one of its 192.168.x.x local addresses. The server then internally maps this local address to the external address it has from the ISP (which by the way it got via exactly the same process, by querying an upstream DHCP server in the ISP network). If you also have a PC connected to the switch, it ALSO queries the DSL modem DHCP server and it also gets assigned an address, likely 192.168.1.3. Again the DSL modem DHCP server is smart enough to also map this new IP address to the one external address you have. In this way, many, many computers can share one external IP address seamlessly.

In our house, my Mac, my work laptop, my MacBookPro, my wife's PC *and* her work laptop all share the one external IP via our Linksys switch. It magically keeps everything straight and flowing correctly. As a bonus, since all of these machines are connected to one local switch, they can all "see" each other and we can transfer files back and forth fairly seamlessly.

This is not magic, nor bleeding edge stuff. This IP address sharing stuff is called NAT (Network Address Translation), and NAT'ing switches have been around for a very long time.

Get a switch. It is what you want for your application, and per my original post, the price is right.

06-17-2008, 09:52 PM

Originally Posted by mac57

Pretty much every DSL modem has a DHCP "server" in it ( along with a firewall and a few other goodies too).

And that's where you're wrong. Perhaps *YOUR* DSL modem has these capabilities, but instructing others based upon *YOUR* circumstances is misleading and will inevitably cause someone problems. Out of all the DSL modems I currently support, and have supported in the past, NONE of them were capable of any DHCP/Router functionality.

The OP needs a router to share one IP address with multiple computers. Period.

06-18-2008, 10:17 AM

I am not trying to start a flame war here, so please don't misunderstand, but EVERY DSL modem I have EVER worked with supports this function.

However, you are right - IF the DSL modem does not, a router/switch is needed. Somewhere in your home setup, you need a local DHCP server to support IP address sharing. Linksys also makes some excellent router/switch combos too, for example this one for $39.99.

...no, I don't work for Linksys/Cisco - I just like their products.

06-18-2008, 11:28 AM

I cald ATT and axt em if I could just hook up a router mit 2nd computer gemixt and they said go for it. I said one mac and one PC they said go for it. I found this router on Amazon:

Linksys EtherFast Cable/DSL Router with 4-Port 10/100 Switch (BEFSR41) by Linksys $40 - seems reasonable enough.

thanx all for your comebacks

06-18-2008, 05:11 PM

Here is your router: http://www.parallels.com/

Follow the simple steps towards a better life:

1. install that on your mac.
2. burn all your windows machines or use them to fertilize your lawn
3. start enjoying life

06-18-2008, 05:20 PM

Originally Posted by Tauron

2. burn all your windows machines or use them to fertilize your lawn

Not sure if I'd even trust a Windows machine to fertilize my lawn!

Originally Posted by Tauron

3. start enjoying life

AMEN to that!