Can a 4port router support 5 users?

[canyouhelpme]

I currently have a netgear router and I have added one new PC to share the connection. There will be a total of 5 PCs. How do I split the connection? What other equipments do I need? What is the cheapest solution?

Thanks

 

[Hanpan]

A hub or switch would work. Most personal routers support up to 255 user usually. YOu would connect said hub or switch to an uplink port on the router via straight over cable or to a regular port via cross over (from a regular port on the hub/switch). A hub would be slightly cheaper a switch if you are running quite a few computers slightly faster but either would be fine. I you are just sharing an internet connection 10bt is fine but I would go with 10/100 regardless.

 

[lobadobadingdong]

Originally posted by: Hanpan
A hub or switch would work. Most personal routers support up to 255 user usually. YOu would connect said hub or switch to an uplink port on the router via straight over cable or to a regular port via cross over (from a regular port on the hub/switch). A hub would be slightly cheaper a switch if you are running quite a few computers slightly faster but either would be fine. I you are just sharing an internet connection 10bt is fine but I would go with 10/100 regardless.

correct way to go accept for the 255 user support, the support is actually for 252, one ip address for the router (usually .1), and one ip address for the broadcast(always .255), .0 is not used for networking purposes as an ip address for a host. If the hub/switch and/or router don't have uplink port, just go buy a cheap crossover cat5($5)cable and connect it in normal rj45 ports. A hub is cheaper than a switch but a switch will offer greater throughput especially if you add more pc's later.

 

[canyouhelpme]

My router doesn\t have an uplink port. What is the cheapest solution I have. The 4 ports on my router has been occupied by 4 computers. I am adding another computer..How should I go around and split the connection again...Please explain how to connect the crosssover.

Thanks in advance

 

[Paulson]

Get a 5 port switch...

Get a crossover cable, the crossover cable will work from any of the 4 ports on your router, and attach to any of the 5 ports on the switch... most switches do have an uplink port which is what you'd want...

 

[canyouhelpme]

thanks for the reply
I just bought a hub.
Will that work
What is the difference between normal rj45 cable and crosssover cable

 

[Robet]

A strait through RJ-45 cable has a different pinout than a crossover RJ-45 cable. It is explained
here.

 

[JackMDS]

A little info on the matter.

<a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.anandtech.com/guides/viewfaq.html?i=91">AnandTech - FAQ. CAT5 Straight, Crossover. What is CAT5, which one should I
Use?</a>

 

[Hanpan]

Originally posted by: lobadobadingdong

Originally posted by: Hanpan
A hub or switch would work. Most personal routers support up to 255 user usually. YOu would connect said hub or switch to an uplink port on the router via straight over cable or to a regular port via cross over (from a regular port on the hub/switch). A hub would be slightly cheaper a switch if you are running quite a few computers slightly faster but either would be fine. I you are just sharing an internet connection 10bt is fine but I would go with 10/100 regardless.

correct way to go accept for the 255 user support, the support is actually for 252, one ip address for the router (usually .1), and one ip address for the broadcast(always .255), .0 is not used for networking purposes as an ip address for a host. If the hub/switch and/or router don't have uplink port, just go buy a cheap crossover cat5($5)cable and connect it in normal rj45 ports. A hub is cheaper than a switch but a switch will offer greater throughput especially if you add more pc's later.

I stand corrected.

I thought ofr the .0 but forgot broadcast and the router ip