how would i be able to hook multiple computers up and be connected to the internet all at the same time?

Question

i have 3 computers in my house i am willing to hook all up to the internet at the same time. a wireless router i would not like to use. i was thinking of using a server or a hub but i do not know the difference between them. but.... what is the process i should use to hook all 3 computers up to the internet at same time.

Answer 1

if you don't use wireless you will need a hub/router

a server is a network's host computer, your internal network will be peer to peer and not require a server, each station is its' own server

lots of info available everywhere, try here:

http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/homenetworking/a/homenetguide_2.htm

Answer 2

wireless would be the easiest and best, but if you do not want to use it you should use a switch or a hub, basically the same thing. It's going to take a lot of wires to run them all to the hub if they are in different rooms. of course you can have a guy come over and install ethernet ports in your house that run from the hub to the rooms you will have the pc's in. The modem hooks into the hub to allow internet access. Again, this is a lot more work plus you need to configure each pc with it's own static ip address.

Answer 3

Hmmm - a wireless router (better yet, a gateway router, which is an ADSL modem and router combined) is ALWAYS the best option, but ensure you are using via ethernet (LAN ports) rather than via usb.

The problem with using a host PC as a server is that:

a) That PC will ALWAYS need to remain on for your network connection to be live

b) becomes an easier network system to hack - better a router & model with a built in NAT firewall - much harder for a hacker to penetrate.

The other problem with establishing a network via a server is network speed.

*A slower PC will squash your bandwidth - will have an effect anyway just by way of the fact you've added that extra link in the chain

*A wireless router (or router in general) is designed to give all the networked computers EQUAL access to your network, whereas a host PC will ALWAYS have first preference, making it easy for that PC to choke the network

Answer 4

I am not sure why you would not want to use a Router as it is the easiest method of hooking up a home or small business network, but if you don't want to then thats ok as there are other options for you.

First, you could simply use Internet Connection Sharing, which Windows XP supports. With this scenario you connect the other computers to the Internet concection of the first computer and the others communicate via the first. The first is then considered a Server Computer and the ones which connect through it are called Clients. This is easy to do but it has a few drawbacks, namely that the Server has to be on in order for the others to have a connection to the Internet. Also, for printer and file sharing you would also use the first Server computer, but again, the Server computer would have to be on in order to share the printer. Then again, in any sharing situation the Server or the computer sharing the printer has to be on in order for anyone to use it, so that is not a major difference from any other method of hooking up a network. It is just with the Internet Connection Sharing which creates one computer, the Server, to always be on in order for any other computer to access the Internet.

Now, you could use a hub, in which the hub is connected to the DSL or Cable modem and the computers are each then hooked up to the hub with a RJ Cat 5 Cable with connectors. This is an easy configuration, just ensure the hub has a built in Switch, so each computer has its own access to the bandwidth and the connection is not split three ways. Without the built in switch, each computer shares the bandwidth, which means if you have a connection at 6 Mbps, each computer gets to use 3 Mbps. With a switch each computer theoretically gets use of all 6 Mbps. So a switch is far preferable to no switch.

Also, Wired connections still out perform speed wise, Wireless connections. While wireless connections are fast catching up with Wired, Wireless is still slower than Wired. So, keep that in mind. The differences are getting much smaller and soon Wireless will be as fast, or faster than Wired, but right now Wired is still faster.

A Router gives you the option of having a mixed connection. You can have both Wired and Wireless connections with a Router that has a built in Wireless Access Point. To have a built in Wireless Access Point in a Router, is really not much more expensive than purchasing one without the Wireless Access Point. Just be sure whichever Router you purchase has a built in Switch as well. These days Switches and Wireless Access Points are usually built in to most models of Routers anyway, so you may not be able to find one without it.

The point of a Router with a Wireless Access Point is the ability to have either a Wired Connection or a Wireless Connection or both, called a Mixed Connection. This is very simple and easy to do and offers the largest capacity for optimal choices. With a Router with a Wireless Access Point, you can have your Work Stations Wired and your Laptop Wireless, which allows you to roam around the house without being hooked up to the RJ Cat 5 Cabling. Having the ability to use a Laptop in the future is a prime reason to spend the small amount extra for the Router with a Wireless Access Point.

Now, a Hub with a built in Switch is basically a Router without a built in Wireless Access Point. So, you see, a hub Routes packets from the comptuer to the Modem and the Modem then sends off the packet to the Internet. So, a Hub is just a form of a Router just called a different name.

Now you have all the information regarding the ways to hook up multiple computers to share a connection. I strongly support the Router with built in Wireless Access Point. It is not expensive any longer and reliable adapters are fast becoming even less expensive. Right now a new 802.11 protocol is out called the 802.11n, which is suppose to be much faster and have a much wider range than the last fastest which was 802.11g. Due to the new 802.11n, which has now taken over the most expensive solution available as new technologies always do, the 802.11g is much less expensive now than it was even six months ago. Six monts ago you couldn't touch a Router and adapter set of the 802.11g for under $125.00. Now you can purchase this same thing for around $40.00 when found on sale, like at a Fry's Electronics store. There is an ad in my local paper with a Fry's sale which has this setup for that amount. So, you can see it is becoming easy for us small folks to affort the Wireless Network hardware componants.

So, now you have all the information on the available methods of networking, you will need further information on how to use the hardware componants of whichever you choose to use. I highly reccomend this book, "Absolute beginner's Guide to Home Networking", by Mark Edward Soper. This book is not large only about 350 pages and is full of solid information and superior instructions. It has all a person needs to get up and running quickly, and while it uses the Linksys Router and Adapers as examples most hardware has basicly simular features and can easily be adapted to any hardware you purchase. This book will guide any person to setting up and configuring a connection sharing. It also has great information on adding other features to a network, like game consoles, home entertainment equipment and a lot of other information which is highly usefull and of need to know stuff. I used it to set up both my office and home networks.

Well, good luck and have a wonderful night.

Answer 5

a server is a computer designed to provide access to the internet. A hub is a device used to connect several computers to gether. One thing to remember is that you can use one internet connection with the hub but you will need a router to connect them to the internet. You will also need several IP addresses if you wish to have seperate emails for each computer.

Answer 6

First of all you have to connect all the three computer by hub. means you required three cat5 or cat6 patch codes. connect every computer with these patch code to hub. then chose the main computer where internet is working then go to network connections and write click on the network connection and go to the properties and check the box of sharing internet connection. after this you have to go to other two computers and there check the box of Obtain IP from DHCP....this process is useful when you are using windows 2000/xp. if you are using windows 98 then you have to give ip address manually and you have to use the Win proxy software on the main pc. This will definately solve your problem..........

Answer 7

Suggest you get "networking for dummies" from bookstore or library.

What you want is a LAN (Local Area Network). You can use 1 computer for the internet connection, and with a hub or switch connect the rest to that one for access. A "server" as such is NOT necessary.
(I assume you are using windows!)

Answer 8

i think of i've got heard of what you're talking approximately. rather of an ethernet cable, he's merely working the cable by the flexibility on your place so which you will merely plug into the wall and get cyber web. i'm unsure if it extremely is swifter. till you have an fairly quickly cyber web connection, cat5 ethernet will artwork effective, yet i think of he merely needs to save cutting a hollow interior the floor and dealing an prolonged cable on your room. i might think of cat5 could be the quickest, yet i can't ensure as I certainly have not tried this previously. If I have been you, i might seek for advice from a distinctive tech guy purely for his opinion (do no longer might desire to hire him) and then take regardless of action he says. in case you do no longer care relating to the artwork of working a cable by your place, it extremely is going to probable be greater low-value to purely try this. good luck!

Answer 9

thats simple, I have 5 of them hooked up