Easiest and cheapest way to share cable connection?

[imhotepmp]

My girlfriend and her roommates are getting cable for the apartment and they need to know the above. This is what I was thinking: Plug the cable modem into one computer with a nic. Then in the same computer pu another nic and plug that into the hub. Use win2k to share the connection via the Network. Will this work? This is what I do for my home network which uses dial up. My friend said that they needed a router? Is this the case? thanks for the tips.

imhotepmp

 

[Mucman]

Here is how I share my cable connection

My computer :

has 2 nic's
1 nic is plugged into the cable modem
other nic is plugged into the other computer using a crosslink cable.
I set up ICS on win2k on this computer

2nd computer :

windows 98SE
chose the ip of the nic that this computer is plugged into as the gateway
chose DHCP server

everything works fine!

Sorry my descriptions are really bad, if you got more questions just shoot away!

 

[pm]

The cheapest way is the way that Mucman mentioned.

The easiest way is definitely a cheap router like the ones by DLink, Linksys and Netgear. Set up time on them is usually less than 5 minutes.

 

[Zenophobe]

UGate 3000 is what i use.. cable modem pluged into UGate 3000 then my 2 computers pluged into it. It acts like a switch/router. (10/100 autosensing) Works like a charm.. has room for 5 comptuer plus an up link for another hub. so unlimited really.


Andy

andyjj@tampabay.rr.com

 

[H4rm]

I have it set up for my wife and me with All-Aboard NAT software. Go to internetshare.com. They have free demo.

 

[Vegito]

Actually calculating cheapness.. using 1 computer to be on almost all the time so the other pc can share cost $$$ + you may get hacked in. Power & inconvience & firewall protection.. for 100 bucks, 1 router with 4 ports, lets 4 people use and if you go by with a notebook.
Go with the easiest way which is cheaper in term of power usage (unless you don't pay electric bil) and you won't run into problem of having 2 nic cards conflict.. happens sometimes..

 

[imhotepmp]

DO they have routers with 5 ports? Theres a total of people wanting to have the connection. Or could i just get the 4 port and maybe have one comp share the the connection?
thanks for the great responses.
imhotepmp

 

[Kanly]

Most multi-port routers I've seen have all been either 4-port switches or 4-port hubs.

For your situation, i'd get a 1 port router, then hook that into a 5-port (or more) hub/switch. Probably a hub unless you can find a true 5-port switch for cheap.

The Linksys 5-port EZXS55W that I got for $16 is great, but one of the 5 ports is a shared uplink port so with a cable connection, you could use only 4 ports.

Zenophobe, you sure your 3000 can support 5 comps on it's own. Specs say it only has 4-ports.

Umax does have a Router with a 7-port 10/100 switch, for "only" $299.