Cable sharing

acf01 · #1 May 28th, 2001, 10:00 PM

I have a quick question here. You can share cable internet without using a cable router, correct? What software would you use and how would it work? Also where would the cable from the cable modem plug in at, could it plug right in to the hub with the rest of the computers? Thanks!

Junky · #2 May 29th, 2001, 02:04 AM

Hi there.

To share the cable for web access: If you are running win98 or Win ME you can run the cable straight to the hub. Run the wires from each computer NIC to the hub. You'll need a firewall to protect the systems. **I've not run this setup before with cable. So I don't know if it will work with a plain hub, or if it will only work with a router hub. I did it this way with DSL, which should be the same as Cable...I think.

Another way (which is very common) is to use a proxy program like Sygate to share the cable access. The cable will connect into one of 2 NIC's in one computer acting as the Server on your LAN. The 2nd NIC in the Server computer will connect to the hub. The 2nd computer on the LAN will connect to the hub and will access the net through the Server computer on the LAN. Sygate works to allow more than one computer to share the net through a LAN and has a built-in firewall.

If I didn't answer fully what you need to know, let me know what info you need.

[ 28 May 2001: Message edited by: Junky ]

acf01 · #3 May 29th, 2001, 02:49 AM

Thanks for your quick reply. If I just ran the cable from the cable modem straight to the hub... would i need some kind of software for the computers to be able to pick that up and use the internet connection? Or what would I need to do? Thanks! (I hope that made sense.)

Junky · #4 May 29th, 2001, 04:06 AM

Hi,

I assume you are running win98. With that in mind, this is the way I'd do it.

Get a Linksys router hub. You can run the cable straight to the hub, the computers straight to the same hub. No extra programs needed. Just one NIC per computer and the router hub with win98. Get a firewall installed on all the computers. That's it. All of the computers on the LAN (which is what you now have) have access to the internet, each independently.

Very good, clear instructions are provided by both Linksys and Sygate. I suggest these programs and products because I've used them over and over again with great results and no problems on both win95 and win98. And they are low cost!

acf01 · #5 May 30th, 2001, 03:29 PM

I visited Sygate's webpage and I was reading about their software and the "One NIC" technology. Another question, after I have the cable company come in and install the line, once I hook things up should internet access be available immediately? Or will I need an IP address or anything like that? Thanks!

acf01 · #6 May 30th, 2001, 03:43 PM

Another quick question here, when running cat5 cables, should you keep them from touching eachother? I thought I heard this could cause interference. Thanks!

Junky · #7 May 30th, 2001, 06:35 PM

The cable company that you'll be using for your ISP will set up the main computer directly to the cable modem. I doubt that they will work on it with the computer(s) connected to a hub. Once they have setup your system it will be up to you to setup the hub and other computers.

You should be able to connect the ISP cable directly to the router hub. Then connect the computers to that same hub. The first computer that the ISP people set up should not need changing, it shoud work the same. Then all you need to do is configure the other computers the same as the first one, except for the computer names and IP Address for each computer, for the LAN.

The web sites for Linksys and Sygate have very good instructions on how to do this.

The Cat5 cables can cross over each other, and touch each other. But it would always be a safe bet to route them away from each other as best as possible. The main thing is to keep them away from electrical devices, magnets and don't coil the cable up.

[ 30 May 2001: Message edited by: Junky ]

acf01 · #8 May 30th, 2001, 07:24 PM

Our cable company has different installation options, one of the is "self install", and I am thinking that means that they just hook up the cable drop and the modem and let me handle the rest, which would be nice.
Thanks for the info & the info about cat5 cable. Of course I've run it before and always tried to keep it away but I heard that about causing problems if they are together and just wanted to see.

acf01 · #9 May 30th, 2001, 08:09 PM

Another quickie...do you know much about cable modems with USB support? Do you think that the speed if you connected it through a USB port instead of your NIC or hub would be the same? Also I would assume that sharing would be just as easy with going through the USB port on one of the computers, then if I were using sygate I would put the server on that and the clients on the others and it would work, right? Thanks!

Junky · #10 May 31st, 2001, 01:06 AM

To put it simply, I don't like USB, based on several people's unfortunate problems with it. So I just stay away from it until they ever get the bugs worked out of it. So, since I've avoided it, I don't have any personal experiences with it to speak of. But it's up to each person as to what they want to fight...I mean...work with.

As for me, I'll stick with the tried and true systems.

Junky · #11 June 1st, 2001, 09:47 PM

Damhna, you must come around more often ol' chap. You are good at this stuff.

Sides, how ya been? Hope all is well for you.

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