[Spencer2004]

hi, i reciently got a network switch off ebay only to find that switches cant share internet connections so i need a router. If i connect my modem to my router then connect my switch and 1 computer to the router and connect 2 computers to the switch will it work or will i need to replace my switch with another router?

sorry if thats a little confusing

[spot]

Yes it'll work so long as all your devices are running the same speed - presumably 100Base-T. I've hit problems when something among that lot wants to just talk 10Base-T. I don't expect it'll happen to you.

The modem issues one IP address to the router. The router issues one from its local IP address pool to the direct-connected computer. The switch lets the other computers into the same router port, that's all, and they get pool addresses as well. You needed the router because the modem can only pass out one IP address and each computer needs its own.

[Cew27]

may i ask why you have a switch, someone packet sniffing you?

[spot]

It could be as simple as wanting to run a single long cable from one floor to another into a switch, and then a couple of short cheaper 3 metre cables into a couple of computers. Or even a half dozen. Think of a switch as a splitter.

[Cew27]

i always thaught of it as a director if you will
it directs info to a computer then switches to direct info to another saving bandwidth by only delivering information to the intended pc

[philthomas]

Maybe think of it as a switch then ..... lol

[Spencer2004]

Originally Posted by spot Yes it'll work so long as all your devices are running the same speed - presumably 100Base-T. I've hit problems when something among that lot wants to just talk 10Base-T. I don't expect it'll happen to you. The modem issues one IP address to the router. The router issues one from its local IP address pool to the direct-connected computer. The switch lets the other computers into the same router port, that's all, and they get pool addresses as well. You needed the router because the modem can only pass out one IP address and each computer needs its own.

nice one, thanks!!

[Gazmondo]

Originally Posted by spot It could be as simple as wanting to run a single long cable from one floor to another into a switch, and then a couple of short cheaper 3 metre cables into a couple of computers. Or even a half dozen. Think of a switch as a splitter.

Originally Posted by Cew27 i always thaught of it as a director if you will it directs info to a computer then switches to direct info to another saving bandwidth by only delivering information to the intended pc

So if for example there are 3 computers about 15-20 metres away from the router, the easiest thing would be to buy a switch near the three computers, plug each computer into the switch then the switch into the router?

Would this not cause any extra lag?

[spot]

The LAN's rated at, say, 100Mbps. Whether that traffic's in a single cable or in three isn't going to make much difference, you'll get collisions if you have several computers copying files back and forth at the same time through the router. Your limiting speed to the outside world is the modem anyhow, that's the bottleneck. Even when next year's 50Mbps cable service reaches UK domestic customers everyone's LAN from ten years ago is still twice the maximum the modem will handle.

Actually having the switch there might decrease your copying packet collisions if, say, two of those three computers are syphoning gigabytes between themselves. Using the switch to isolate that traffic from the router means the downstairs computers can still have a quiet undisturbed chat with the modem.

[Spencer2004]

im not really going to be copying much files between the computers, it will just be used for internet. as long as there isnt any lag it will be fine.

thanks for the help guys!