LAN Problem

[Jon855]

WE are all hooked up to a 8 port switch which is directly hooked up to the cable modem. The problem is that 5 of us 6 have limited connection or none at all... My guess would be that it's the switch and we need a router not a switch? Is this correct? If so and then all I will need to do is put a router in the middle of our set up?!

NIGHT ATOT HELP ME PLEASE....

 

[engineereeyore]

I would go with a router for a couple reasons. One, it provides more security with a built in firewall. Second, they usually support wireless. Third, they just work better than switches, at least in my experience. However, that may not work because most routers only have 4 physical connections, so 3 people could connect directly, but the other three would have to go through the switch still.

 

[tweekah]

cable modem ->router -> swtich -> pcs

 

[crobusa]

What's hapening is that you only have one IP address that's your ISP gave you..

A router provides several services,
1. NAT Network Address Translation, meaning you have one INTERNET address the world sees, but you can have thousands of INTRANET on your network.
2. DHCP, handing out internal IP addresses.
3. Firewall, keeping viruses, port scanners, bad people from seeing your internal network.

A switch is a piece of dumb plastic that connects computers.

I just got a $15 dollar 4-port router from Office Depot, on sale..
If you can't take back the switch, or want to make it more flexible, try this:

C=Computer
S=Port on the Switch

C1 to S1
C2 to S2
S3 to Router 1
RInternet/DSL Modem

This will seperate the switch from the router, in case the DSL/Cable modem can't reach the networking closet/server room.
If you want another room, just run another wire.

When a rainy day comes with a unused computer, get Smoothwall, a Linux based firewall that allows remote access for free.

 

[Jon855]

Originally posted by: tweekah
cable modem ->router -> swtich -> pcs

Figured that one out and went home and got my router and now the LAN is saved!