Hub in between cable modem and router?

[radioouman]

I have cable internet, and my ISP gives me three IP addresses. Since I help my friends and family with their computers, I wanted to get remote desktop working. However, I was never able to get it working through my router, so I installed a second network card in my PC, and connected a hub to my cable modem.

My second network card is connected directly to the hub, but I only enable this card when I need to use Remote Desktop. Otherwise, all of my computers are connected to the router (and the router is plugged into the hub).

The problem is that when I'm downloading through the router, the collosion light on the hub is lit up almost constantly. My throughput still seems to be good, but I can't understand why it would be lit up like that when there are only two devices connected to the hub (cable modem and router).

Am I doing something wrong here?

 

[phatrabt]

If I'm understanding correctly, it's because a hub is a Half-Duplex device and since file transfers require ack packets, there's going to be collisions since the computer is trying to ack while receiving the files.

 

[JackMDS]

Originally posted by: radioouman My throughput still seems to be good, but I can't understand why it would be lit up like that when there are only two devices connected to the hub (cable modem and router).

Am I doing something wrong here?

Yeah, being worried for nothing is wrong.

It is probably the Cable Modem "Traffic at the Gate".

 

[James Bond]

Originally posted by: radioouman
...I wanted to get remote desktop working. However, I was never able to get it working through my router, so I installed a second network card in my PC, and connected a hub to my cable modem.

Did you make sure to disable DHCP on your router?
If you have three static IP's supplied by your ISP, couldn't you just disable NAT and DHCP on your router and enter an IP manually on each PC?

That seems much easier to me; you're kind of jumping through hoops at the moment it sound like.

EDIT: Clarity

 

[radioouman]

Nah, I use the firewall features of my router, so I prefer to have all of my computers behind the router 99% of the time. I just use this hub to bypass the router for when I need to use Remote Desktop.

 

[nweaver]

Originally posted by: phatrabt
If I'm understanding correctly, it's because a hub is a Half-Duplex device and since file transfers require ack packets, there's going to be collisions since the computer is trying to ack while receiving the files.

no, you are not understanding it right.


Acking packets is the TCP layer (Layer 4)
Hubs are layer1/somewhat layer 2.

1. Hubs have collisions, it's just the way they are
2. Something may be trying to link a Full Duplex, but usually that would really impact speeds (on a very severe level)

 

[phatrabt]

Originally posted by: nweaver

Originally posted by: phatrabt
If I'm understanding correctly, it's because a hub is a Half-Duplex device and since file transfers require ack packets, there's going to be collisions since the computer is trying to ack while receiving the files.

no, you are not understanding it right.


Acking packets is the TCP layer (Layer 4)
Hubs are layer1/somewhat layer 2.

1. Hubs have collisions, it's just the way they are
2. Something may be trying to link a Full Duplex, but usually that would really impact speeds (on a very severe level)

I guess I didn't phrase it well. I meant that the router is transmitting to the PC while the PC is trying to transmit to the router, causing the collisions on the hub.

 

[James Bond]

Originally posted by: phatrabt
I guess I didn't phrase it well. I meant that the router is transmitting to the PC while the PC is trying to transmit to the router, causing the collisions on the hub.

That is an unavoidable scenario. When using a hub, you will always encounter some sort of collisions. However, that is not the root of his issue.

Originally posted by:radioouman
Nah, I use the firewall features of my router, so I prefer to have all of my computers behind the router 99% of the time. I just use this hub to bypass the router for when I need to use Remote Desktop.

You can still have them behind the router, even if you are using static ips. It is possible to disable DHCP, and still enter IP's manually. I would recommend trying that.

 

[nweaver]

Originally posted by: Tizyler

Originally posted by: phatrabt
I guess I didn't phrase it well. I meant that the router is transmitting to the PC while the PC is trying to transmit to the router, causing the collisions on the hub.

That is an unavoidable scenario. When using a hub, you will always encounter some sort of collisions. However, that is not the root of his issue.

Originally posted by:radioouman
Nah, I use the firewall features of my router, so I prefer to have all of my computers behind the router 99% of the time. I just use this hub to bypass the router for when I need to use Remote Desktop.

You can still have them behind the router, even if you are using static ips. It is possible to disable DHCP, and still enter IP's manually. I would recommend trying that.

only if it's a true router, and not a SOHO Natting wannabe router

 

[James Bond]

Originally posted by: nweaver

Originally posted by: Tizyler

Originally posted by: phatrabt
I guess I didn't phrase it well. I meant that the router is transmitting to the PC while the PC is trying to transmit to the router, causing the collisions on the hub.

That is an unavoidable scenario. When using a hub, you will always encounter some sort of collisions. However, that is not the root of his issue.

Originally posted by:radioouman
Nah, I use the firewall features of my router, so I prefer to have all of my computers behind the router 99% of the time. I just use this hub to bypass the router for when I need to use Remote Desktop.

You can still have them behind the router, even if you are using static ips. It is possible to disable DHCP, and still enter IP's manually. I would recommend trying that.

only if it's a true router, and not a SOHO Natting wannabe router

Can't you disable DHCP and NAT on a SOHO router?

 

[spidey07]

Nothing wrong with the setup. Collisions are a normal part of a hub. If you're transfering a file, it's normal to have it constantly lit up. Especially because you're seeing all the small broadcast packets on your cable segment.

 

[JackMDS]

Originally posted by: spidey07Especially because you're seeing all the small broadcast packets on your cable segment.

Yap, glad you bring it up again Spidey.

I actually gave the OP the answer 20 minutes after he posted.

Internet Cable conncetion makes a lot of unneccesary noise, and so are Neurowares.

 

[nweaver]

Originally posted by: Tizyler

Originally posted by: nweaver

Originally posted by: Tizyler

Originally posted by: phatrabt
I guess I didn't phrase it well. I meant that the router is transmitting to the PC while the PC is trying to transmit to the router, causing the collisions on the hub.

That is an unavoidable scenario. When using a hub, you will always encounter some sort of collisions. However, that is not the root of his issue.

Originally posted by:radioouman
Nah, I use the firewall features of my router, so I prefer to have all of my computers behind the router 99% of the time. I just use this hub to bypass the router for when I need to use Remote Desktop.

You can still have them behind the router, even if you are using static ips. It is possible to disable DHCP, and still enter IP's manually. I would recommend trying that.

only if it's a true router, and not a SOHO Natting wannabe router

Can't you disable DHCP and NAT on a SOHO router?

DHCP yes, nat, usually no (at least the few I have seen)