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How do you split a cable modem?

G

Gunnar

Senior member

I have to admit that I know very little when it comes to networking computers. I need to know how to split a cable modem internet connection amongst several people. I went to best buy, and they have hubs, routers, and switches, and even a router/switch. I was wondering what is a hub, router and switch, and what are the specific differences between them? Which one would be the best/cheapest way to split up a single cable modem connection? Do I have to buy the entire 99.99 dollar "cable modem" splitter package or can I get away with just buying a switch?

My roommates and I would like to have an independent piece of hardware doing the splitting, as opposed to me serving dhcp addresses.

Thanks
 
You need a router. You don't necessarily need a router/switch, but it's nice.
This is really something you should post in the networking forums though, a lot of people around here get very upset when people post off topic, just letting you know. You'd also probably get more accurate help there, because that's where the networking gurus hang out.

Another option, if you're interested in learning some *nix, is using an old P100 or something as a router/firewall. Linux and BSD both have good packages that do various types of NAT (ipmasq, ipchains, iptables etc.. ) . You could take this route if you're interested in learning linux or BSD, it's gonna be a lot more complicated then just spending some money on an 'out of the box' router like a D-link or Linksys.

The routers you get at best buy or wherever are really easy to set up.
 
How do you split a cable modem?

? 😉

Not much to add to SMP's advice, but if you feel like going the "roll your own" route (which is fun really) you might want to look at a mini distro first (like Freesco or Fli4l) instead of installing a full blown *nix and then stripping out what you don't need for routing.
 
If you have enough IPs for each networked computer, you can just connect the uplink of a hub/switch to the cable modem and plug the computers into the other ones. If you don't have or don't want to pay for additional IPs, you can pick up a router (some have built-in switches, some don't - if they don't, you need to connect a hub/switch to the single downlink port). The SMC Barricade 7004BR is easy to set up, fast, and even includes a print server for under $100 US.

A hub sends all incoming data to each and every computer connection. A switch reads the frame of each packet (the data "surrounding" each tidbit of information that tells where it's heading, etc.) and sends it to the right computer. You could say that a switch is smart and a hub is dumb.

AFAIK, the best function of a router is to split broadband across several computers with one IP address.
 
You can read up on it here

Order the SMC 4 port Router as mentioned.

DHCP is set by the router if you choose; or you can set the local IP's manually. Your WAN IP is set by your ISP and will likely be dynamic. I prefer to just use DHCP on the router. That way you can add and remove comuters from the router and not have to worry about config so much. To each his own though.

Feel free to PM me if you need help with that router. There are a ton of other guys here with much more experience too.
 
With my cable service, GCI, you connect the modem to a hub with a crossover cable and connect the hub to as many as eight different machines all with there own IP adress (DHCP) at no extra charge.
 
First, check your service agreement. If it doesn't specifically forbid multiple computers, call your provider's tech support. Many external cable modems are capable of acting as dhcp routers. If that's the scenario, then all you need is a switch or hub, network cards in each machine and cables to hook them up.

If your cable modem can't act as as a dhcp router, then you'll need something like the SMC Barricade to act as traffic cop.

If the agreement forbids multiple computers, then you're on your own so far as installing a router, although it would very likely work fine without them being any the wiser....
 
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