How does a one port router work?

[GoSharks]

how does a router with one port work? do i hook it up to a hub/switch and it'll act just the same as if i had a 4 port router?

 

[LordSandMan]

One port router?????? um, haven't heard of one what model are you looking at? Do you have a web address?

 

[GoSharks]

a lot of companies make a one-ported router:

Dlink
Linksys
Netgear

 

[ElDiablo]

It's like u mentioned. The router/gateway is just like another computer in the eyes of the hub/switch except you plug it into the uplink port instead of a regular port.

 

[Wik]

No you do not plug it into the uplink port. It is just like another computer. It plugs into a regular port on a hub or switch. The single port routers are for buyers that already have a network with a hub/switch and cost less then the 4 port versions. For example Netgear RT311 is a single port router and the RT314 is the same thing but with a built in 4 port switch. Well almost the same. The RT314 is a newer model and a faster processor but still the same really.

 

[LordSandMan]

I looked at all of the links you had. Technically all of those routers are 2 port routers. One WAN port(Internet port), and one LAN Port(Local network port). A single port router would be almost completely worthless. Look at it this way, If you have a single prot router it would simple be another node on the network. It would not necessarily be a problem for a hacker to get around this, because it is not inline with your computer. He doesn't have to go through the router to get to your computer. If your computer was plugged into one side of the router, and the cablemodem/DSl router was plugged into the other side of the router there would be no way for the hacker to get to your computer without going through it(which would be fairly difficult). You plug the dslrouter/cable modem into a WAN port. You plug the LAN port into your hub. Plug the rest of your machines into a hub. You may need some slight configuration on the router, depending on what your doing. If you need any clarification let me know.

 

[Wik]

Oh course a single port router has a Wan and a Lan port and you could technicaly call it 2 ports but they don't. They call them single ports as they have one LAN port. Do you call your 4 port switch with an uplink port a 5 port? No! It is a 4 port with an uplink!

 

[Dark]

So the only benefit of a one port router is to provide tighter security? the broadcast domain won't be reduced since the router see just the switch...I can't think of another reason to use a one port router...

 

[Wik]

No you missed the point. Ok take my friend for example. He had 4 computers in his house networked together. He has a 8 port switch and used to use ICS to share his net connection. He wanted to get a router to share his cable connection so he did not have to have one computer on all the time. He bought the single port router because he did not need to spend the extra money on one with a built in switch because he already has his network plugged into an 8 port switch. Why pay for something you do not need. That is the only difference. The 4 port routers are the same as the 1 port but with a built in 4 port switch.

 

[R0b0tN1k]

They aren't even routers at all. They're NAT gateways.

 

[spidey07]

ROBTNIK,

Agreed.

It is a shame to call these appliances routers.

A four port switch with an uplink port? THAT IS A 5 PORT SWITCH.

A NAT gateway with a single LAN interface would be used to connect to an existing network, whereas other models have 4 or 8 SWITCH/HUB ports. Technically there is still only ONE LAN interface with mutliple hub ports.

hope this helps!
spidey