How to share DSL connection with a switch...?

[Fjive]

hi everyone, i have a laptop and a PC .. a DSL connection... the question is how do i share my DSL connection with a switch ?
my DSL modem is connected to the PC's NIC...how do i set it up with a switch ? do i get another NIC for the pc (to connect to the switch) or do i plug the modem to the switch ? someone told me i have to set either one of the machine to be server and the others as client in order to get online ... is this true ? networking newbie here...feel free to share your expertise =)

 

[JackMDS]

AnandTech - FAQ. Basic Options for Internet Connection Sharing

AnandTech - FAQ. Hubs, routers, switches, DSL, LANs, WANs...?

 

[TJN23]

i believe it would be Internet --> modem --> nic ---> switch via straight thru patch cable--->switch to laptop's 10/100 port via straight thru patch cable and enable ICS

 

[vortix]

The easiest way to do it would be to get a 4-port router. Plug the DSL modem into the WAN port on the router, and plug your computers into the LAN ports and you should be good to go

 

[Fjive]

well, routers are more expensive than switch...i thought if i can get a cheap one and it allows me to share the dsl connection...i'm gonna get it...

another question, my DSL runs on PPPOE, does that means that i should get a switch that supports PPPOE in order to share the connection ? i did some search on this and i found most routers has support for it but couldnt really find a switch that has support for it...
hmmm...

 

[Lord Evermore]

A plain switch doesn't have any "operating system" in which to put PPoE settings. A switch is only used for passing packets back and forth over a LAN, it can't be used as a "gateway". A computer can be plugged into a switch which is then plugged into a DSL modem, and the computer can run PPoE software to activate the DSL connection, but that computer is the only one that will be able to get a connection, unless your account allows multiple IP addresses through the one DSL connection. Home routers have memory and processing power, as well as configurations, so that PPoE settings can be configured, and then the router itself logs into the DSL connection.

However you can plug both computers into the switch, and set up your PC with Internet Connection Sharing, and point your laptop to the ICS machine as a gateway. Another alternative is to just install a second NIC into the PC, and connect the laptop directly to that with ICS enabled (using a crossover cable), and a switch would be unneeded.

 

[tjaisv]

You can't use just a switch for what you want to do. You're going to need a router or ICS if you want to have multiple clients access your DSL line. I myself am using a wireless cable/dsl router with built-in 4-port switch. These types of routers are targeted specifically for what you want to do.