usb cable modem

[esc]

will their be a disadvantage if i share one cable connection through a hub using a modem that is connected via usb port instead of using a router?

 

[Heisenberg]

No, not really. USB is limited to 12 Mbps but I'm sure your cable connection is probably less than half of that limit anyway, so it won't cost you bandwidth. The main concern would be security since a router provides much more protection than using ICS or something similar. You could put an OS like linux to increase security on another box to share the connection, but I'm not sure how feasible that is.

 

[esc]

do you have any recommendations for a new cheap router? i have like 3 PCs sharing the connection and i need something like an 8 port for expansion. i don't know anything about routers so i will gladly appreciate it if you can recommend me one with the said specs.

 

[Bglad]

The other problem is the machine connected to the modem has to be on all the time. My experience is that sharing with ICS just doesn't work. You will pull your hair out rebooting machines all day trying to figure out why they network fine but don't see the internet.

Do some reading here and here.

Does your modem have 10baset out or just usb? I can't think of any routers that accept WAN from usb. Anyway, I just came from the store a few hours ago. That Belkin is getting pretty good reveiews and is considerably cheaper than anything else on the shelf. Other than that, they are all approximately the same price. A few are slow so you want to stay away from them. The rest just differ in a few setup features. You can sort it out in about an hour of reading above.

 

[JackMDS]

Unfortunately, there is only one USB Router currently available and it ain?t cheap.

Draytek Vigor 2200 USB DSL Router.