want to share satellite connection, need help w/ hardware and software options

[WannaBeGeek]

I'm ordering satellite internet and want to be able to share the connection (with one ip address) among three or more computers.

I wanted to do this:

satellite signal --> router --> all the computers

BUT, I have to use an internal PCI card modem that will not allow me to send the raw signal through a router. The signal will have to travel like this:

satellite signal --> host computer --> ??? --> all other computers

I am trying to figure out which "???" will allow me to split the signal so that I can surf the web on all the computers at once. Since I can't use a router, I know that my connection will depend on the host computer. This is not a problem, however, since the host computer is always on. My question is:

Do I need a router or a switch for the "???" part of the equation (I've ruled out a hub, since I heard switches are more "intellegent" in their function.)? Can I just take an old computer and configure it to do the job of the hardware I would need (using Linux, perhaps?)? Can anyone recommend a make/model for the appropriate hardware (router/switch)?

Um, well it should be obvious that I don't have the basics of networking down. Can anyone point me to a site that will set me straight?

 

[mgpaulus]

> satellite signal --> host computer --> ??? --> all other computers
>
>I am trying to figure out which "???" will allow me to split the signal so that I can surf the web
> on all the computers at once. Since I can't use a router, I know that my connection will depend
> on the host computer. This is not a problem, however, since the host computer is always on. My
> question is:
>
> Do I need a router or a switch for the "???" part of the equation (I've ruled out a hub, since I
> heard switches are more "intellegent" in their function.)? Can I just take an old computer and
> configure it to do the job of the hardware I would need (using Linux, perhaps?)? Can anyone
> recommend a make/model for the appropriate hardware (router/switch)?

Your host computer will need 3 components. You need the inbound nic/modem provided by your satellite provider. Then you need an outbound NIC for your local lan. And you need some software to "route" traffic between the two NICs. My personal favorite for the software was sygate 4.0. It uses NAT to do the routing, so client access was pretty transparent. In fact, if you set Sygate up in DHCP mode, then there is no real setup for the clients.

As far as a switch vs hub, how many clients are you going to be running?? Your satellite traffic is not going to be fast enough to saturate your network, and unless you are going to be doing heavy file sharing, a hub will probably be fine. I say this because I had a 5 port switch, and maybe this is peculiar to my switch, but it has active cooling via a little fan inside it that was noisier than all 3 fans in my computer case combined. So, I went to a hub which uses passive cooling, and my noise level dropped immensely. I am running 3 computers and an HP 3 port external print server on a 10/100 lan (comps are 100, print server is 10), and don't have any response problems at all.

You can get an old linux box (486) to run the routing software (ipmasquerade), except for one small caveat. You would need to see if there are linux drivers for the modem card your provider will give you. If you can't get drivers for the card, then you will either need to write your own, or run your router software on a wintel machine.

HTH

[add-on] ------------------------------------------------------------

Since your gateway machine will be on all the time, and connected all the time, you really should also look into some firewall software. I've read a couple of sites, and everyone seems to recommend Norton's Personal firewall.

 

[TSDible]

I believe that the problem with this may be the way the Satellite connection works. I believe that most companies that will be offering it will be using a USB modem to provide the service. That makes sharing a bit more difficult. I've been looking in to the same thing, but I just bought a router, and I hate to give that up.

 

[Unclemo]

Yhea, I don't think you can really go the router way. I am getting my installed monday. Using one PC as a server then sharing that with the rest of the network. I belive, but could be wrong that that is really the only way to do based upon the setup they use. Oh, and linux... not any time soon I am sure. I had to switch from NT4 to windows 2000 this week. ONly win 2000 and 98 are supported! So, getting an old PC is basically out of the question.. They may even require pentium or equavalent. Don't they require that one of their technicians install the setup?? In that case you are really limited on as to what they will work on.

Oh, for only three other PCs I don't think a switch would be that much more noticeable in performance. My guess is no difference in general observation at all. Anyone else have any thoughts? Anyone know what which point a sizeable difference would be noticeable?

And I think that this site is really the best to get info. I have not come accross any other site that offers the quick help as this one does. Maybe for basic learning about networks/configurations.. but just do a search for that. It sounds like you are beyond that and already asking specific questions. Posting questions get the best answers quickly. Use the search function in this forum... I could not live without this place. Quick answers from very smart computer geeks.