Can i connect my laptop to my home pc's internet w/o using a router?

Question

I have cable internet and integrated wireless but no router.

Answer 1

That's what ethernet cables are for, mofo...

Answer 2

What are you trying to do? Do you want to set up a home network, or are you trying to connect both computers to the internet?

In the first case, yes it is possible to do it without a router.
In the second case... depends.

Let's examine first the second case.
If your ISP is assigning you only one IP, then you can't connect both computers to the internet without using a router. You *could* connect one at the time, but it involves manipulating MAC addresses and it still may not work.
If your ISP assigns you more than one IP, then you don't *need* a router. All you need to know is the second IP address, which should be provided by your ISP.
But there's still the matter of *how* are you going to connect the second PC!
If your ISP has given you some type of wireless access point, then all you need is the IP as above.
Otherwise, you still need something else to connect the PC to. A switch or hub would be the cheapest option (they can cost around $10). You plug the switch/hub to the cable modem, and both computers to the switch. You just need to configure each IP then.

If all you want is to have a small network, a router is recommended; but if you don't want one, you can still do it.
Again, you can use a switch, the same setting described above.
But if you just want to connect the 2 computers to each other, you can use a *Crossover Cable*. You can purchase a ready made crossover cable or make one if you're handy, and configure one IP to each PC. There's a description of how to do that in the source link.

And those answers just saying "use a network cable", they fail to explain *where* to connect the cable! How useful is that?

Answer 3

So you want both computers to be capable of accessing the internet correct? If this is the case, then the answer is definitely no. You will need to get a wireless router (it also comes with several RJ-45 ports) so you can hook up your home PC as well as your laptop. Then both will have access to the internet. The cost is $50. You will also have the benefit of using the router's hardware firewall to prevent people from hacking into your computers.

I personally like the Linksys four port router. Very easy to configure and a lot of features.

Good luck!

Answer 4

You need the router.

Reason - the cable company only provides you with a single IP address. If you want to use more than one PC on that connection at the same time you need something that will provide network address translation (i.e. NAT).

You can get a wireless router that also has a 4 port "wired" hub, your laptop uses the wireless, your desktop the wired. Both can be used at the same time.

Answer 5

You will need a router to do that. A router usually has 5 different Ethernet ports in the back. One is for the main source of Internet, which comes from a modem or Ethernet wall jack. The other 4 ports are for other computers that you want to use for that source. It's just like a phone line splitter, to connect more than one phone line to one jack.

Answer 6

You can use the network port on your laptop and your desktop to network the 2. You might have to buy a 10. network card for your computer if your motherboard only supports one. Myself id just buy the wireless router.

Answer 7

Yes, you use the Ethernet Cable RJ-45 to connect between your laptop and the other.

Good Luck,

PS: It requires a little set up to work!

Answer 8

use an ethernet cable