Broadband/router help?

Question

I would like to put 2 computers in my home on broadband, as of now I only have one. I would like to know the basics on how to connect the 2 and what the router does and how to hook it up. Any and all info would be appreciated.

Did I forget to mention that I'm semi computer illiterate? LOL I really need it broken down so that I can understand. LAN means nothing to me without an explanation.

Answer 1

1. to use broadband on 2 computers you need a router. You can use a wired router (Larger fire hazard, not a neat thing to have running around your home, and you get an expensive visit from the electrician to hide all the wires from site and still connect your computers although much cheaper) or you can get a wireless router (very neat only problem is that the setup process can be time consuming but I will recommend some places with some excellent customer service, expensive!).
2. A router is a device that splits the broadband connection so that multple computers can acess the internet.
3. To hook up your two computers using a wired router you use whats called an ethernet cable to connect the router and the computers in the ethernet cable slot. Although, if a computer is far away from the router I would hire an electrician to wire it around your house.
4. If you get a wireless router then all you need to do is connect the broadband connection to the router via ethernet cable (the ethernet cable provided is very short because the router needs to be near the broad band connection modem thing). Then all you do is buy Two wireless adapters (my personal favorite requires opening your computer case but there are other adapters as well) you can always get a usb wireless adapter that is basically the PCI adapter that I use except it is outside your comptuer and connects to your computer via a usb cable. Well once you plug them into a usb slot on your computers all you have to do is wait for them to recognize the network and it will connect. If you want it so other people can't steal your broadband internet with wireless adapters of their own then you want to add a wep code onto your network so that way other people can't acess it. To do this you have to acess your routers setup page and go to wireless security and have it generate a code for you. Then what you do is configure the adapters to know this code so it can acess the internet.

5. The people I recommend to buy it from is linksys. They have amazing customer support and will be able to help you install the entire thing. You can pay them a visit at www.linksys.com you should buy your wired or wirless router and wireless adapters from them as well but you will have to visit the places they tell you to visit to actually purchase the items.

Is this literate enough for you?
Cause I can describe it more

Answer 2

You have three options:

If the second computer is going to sit close to the first one, you can use Windows XP's built-in networking :
- buy a 2nd network card & install it in the computer that is already on broadband.
- buy a crossover lead and use it to join both computers' network ports

Now, click on Start, Control Panel, click on "Network and Internet Connections".
Click "Network Connections"
Click "Set up Home or Small Office Network"
and this will run you through "Share an Internet Connection"

Your second option is this:

- buy a 4-port hub, and make sure you have 3 ethernet cables.
- plug a separate ethernet cable into each computer, and plug the other end of each cable into the new hub you bought
- now plug the third ethernet cable between the hub and the original broadband router
- get you ISP's written instructions on how you copnfigured the first PC, and configure the second PC similarly.

Thirdly,

- buy a wireless router
- ensure both computers each have a wireless card or adapter
- install the router as per the written instructions it comes with

Answer 3

To connect any computer you can use either LAN or Wireless LAN.
These are usually available in all computers today. If your broadband is utilizing the LAN then you can use something like a Switch or a router. You can ask for the same from your service provider.

Answer 4

It is really as simple as plugging in a couple of cables. There are graphical diagrams detailing how to do it, that came with your router. (Connect the modem to the "WAN" port on the router. Connect the PCs to the "LAN" ports on the router. That's it.)

If you need to buy an extra cable, look for "ethernet" at Radio Shack.

Answer 5

Simply you can share the broad band connection in both through
LAN (Local Area Network) by internet sharing.