Using a Hub to share a network connection

[DeadSeaSquirrels]

As I understand, hubs are pretty stupid machines and can't share a network connection unless your ISP is giving your multiple IPs. If your ISP was giving you multiple IPs the hub would simply assign one IP to each computer. Is that correct? So anybody what really wants to have multiple computers on one IP would have to go the switch route or the router route.

But I've also heard of people connecting their routers to their cable modems and then connecting a hub to the router, and then the computer to the hub. What is the purpose of that? I mean I know hubs broadcasts the packets to every computer on the hub LAN, but can't you get a router to do that too. I was just wondering if there was a benefit somewhere I didn't know of.

 

[buleyb]

The hub (and switches, to an extent) will provide a connection to the network, but they don't grant any addresses. Thats up to the PCs connected to them.

Yes, if the ISP grants multiple IPs, you can setup multiple hosts on that hub directly to the internet, if not, you use a router/cable (or some combination thereof) to move data between your internal network of machines (attached via some hub/switch), to the internet. This way the internet sees only one IP address, but you can hookup multiple PCs internally and they all share a connection 😉

phew, did that make sense?

 

[martind1]

further more, the reason people use a hub behind a router is simply to connect more computers.


if your router has only 4 lan ports but you have six computers, you can hook 3 of them to the router, and then a 4 port hub into the router. then attach the last 3 computers ad there you go, you got 6 connected .

 

[DeadSeaSquirrels]

So it's really just a money thing then. I think the cost to get another router is low enough that I'd just get another router...so much more functionality. But i guess that answers my questions, I guess there wasn't anything to miss.

 

[martind1]

no, its not a cost issue. its a functionality issue.

does you ISP allow you to use multiple IPs?

then you cna use a hub OR a router.

if you ahve only a single IP from your ISP you need a router to split the connection to multiple computers.

 

[DeadSeaSquirrels]

But putting the hub behind the router would be a cost issue.

If you already have a hub and a router, yes the only reasonably set up is to put the hub behind the router. But I was really just wondering if there was a reason to put a hub there at all...why not just another router - and that would just be a cost issue. It's not really about myself anyway, I am sure i only have one IP, but I have an 8 port router anyway 😛

 

[ogmios]

Originally posted by: martind1
no, its not a cost issue. its a functionality issue.

does you ISP allow you to use multiple IPs?

then you cna use a hub OR a router.

if you ahve only a single IP from your ISP you need a router to split the connection to multiple computers.

I am using only a hub/switch (~ $40 from Compusa) and my 2 computers both have access to internet. Computer A has two ethernet cards. Computer B has only one. Cable modem is connected to Computer A through 1 ethernet card. The second ethernet card of Compter A is hooked up with the hub, and Computer B is connected to that hub. Only catch is that Computer A has to be turned on to access internet from Computer B. My ISP is comcast. Am I assigned mutiple IP? What's the advantage of buying more expensive router instead of a hub? Thanks.

 

[martind1]

IT sounds like youa re using computer a as your 'router in this case'.

so that works fine too.

but the downside is as you said. computer a must be on for computer b to get internet

 

[martind1]

Originally posted by: DeadSeaSquirrels
But putting the hub behind the router would be a cost issue.

If you already have a hub and a router, yes the only reasonably set up is to put the hub behind the router. But I was really just wondering if there was a reason to put a hub there at all...why not just another router - and that would just be a cost issue. It's not really about myself anyway, I am sure i only have one IP, but I have an 8 port router anyway 😛

Ok, so now i have no idea what yoru question is.

there is no need ot get another router behind the first router. unless you are going to max out the number of computers behind the first router and you need to segment your network further.

 

[13black]

Originally posted by: DeadSeaSquirrels
But putting the hub behind the router would be a cost issue.

If you already have a hub and a router, yes the only reasonably set up is to put the hub behind the router. But I was really just wondering if there was a reason to put a hub there at all...why not just another router - and that would just be a cost issue. It's not really about myself anyway, I am sure i only have one IP, but I have an 8 port router anyway 😛

You don't need another router behind the router, it might actually cause more headaches than it's worth. If you want all the PC's on the same subnet it's easier to let the PC's get IP's from the router though the hub or switch. Your just adding more ports to the router that way. If the router has more than one LAN port it likely already has a switch built in. A switch would be better than choice a hub for adding more ports to the router.