Can we share the same modem?

Question

I am moving in with a friend of mine and she already has a desktop hooked up to a modem from time warner cable in her room, can i use the same modem in my room across the hall? Not trying to run a cable cord from one room to another, is there another way?

Answer 1

If you want to share an internet connection and you don't want network cables running throughout the house, then what you are looking for is a wireless router. When installed the wireless router will be connected to the cable modem, just as your roommate's computer is now connected. You roommate can connect to the wireless router using a cable or wireless device if they have that. What you will need is a wireless network adapter in your computer. With this setup both you and your roommate will be able to access the internet over the cable modem.

On the technical side, what you are looking for is an 802.11 wireless devices. The most common these days is type 'g', other types are 'a' and 'b'. The next type coming down the line is 'n'. Given that you are looking at doing web surfing type stuff then I'd recommend the 802.11g.

The router and adapter can be purchase at your local consumer electronics vendor, e.g. Best Buy, Frys, etc. or online. The following are links to an online store so you can get an idea on pricing and features.
Wireless routers : http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=145&name=Wireless-Routers
Wireless network adapters: http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=31&name=Wireless-Adapters

Answer 2

Since your friend already bought the modem, and pays for the Internet account, you buy the wireless router you need to setup a network in the house for you to use her Internet connection. You may also need a wireless adapter, if one is not already installed in your machine.

This is not difficult to setup. It is step intensive, and it can become overwhelming due to how many steps there are but if you take it section by section and not get caught up in the entire picture (though you do need an idea of the big picture, just don't let it overwhelm you) you should be just fine.

Your first step is to buy a wireless router. You can buy an 802.11g wireless router relatively inexpensively these days, because the newer protocol 802.11n, while not yet ratified, is the more expensive version today.

What you do is first read the instructions which comes with the router. Follow all of the instructions. Depending upon your fiends ISP, you may need a User Name and Password to finish setup. However, these days most ISP configurations are easily accessed by the router during setup, and usually just configures all the information you need automatically. However, there are the rare, (rare today, not long ago is was much more difficult to setup a network and share a connection!) situation where you need to manually add information, have your friend call her ISPs technical department for the information.

Once you have followed all of the steps to setup the router, you will need to run the Network Setup Wizard on each computer if you plan on sharing files or a printer. This is very simple to do, and you can even put the configuration information onto a thumb drive and then take it to each computer to run the network setup wizard.

Here are some pages for you to read and follow in setting up a network. I am giving the entire Vista Network page, so just follow the links and read the information. It should help makes things easier to understand and setup.

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/networking.mspx

Here is some information on XP too, in case one of the systems uses that OS:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/setup/default.mspx

Please note that on the XP page, towards the bottom is an important section you should read, called Connect Now technology. It makes setting up a network and sharing a connection a breeze.

Good luck and I hope you get your friends connection shared soon, and setup a nice network for the two of you and who ever else may live or visit there.

Answer 3

You have to buy a router before you can hook more than 1 computer to the cable modem. Walmart and Radio Shack have them, around $50. I think. And you will still need to run a computer cable from the router to your computer. The modem only has 1 place to connect a computer to it so you connect the router to the modem and connect the computer to the router. We have 3 computers connected through our router to 1 modem.

Answer 4

buy a wireless router and a wireless card and hook them up. and you should be just fine..

Linksys are good wireless routers

Answer 5

Buy yourself a wireless router and you will be able to connect to it. But make sure you setup security on it or everyone else will be using it too.

Answer 6

If the modem is wireless otherwise you may need to invest into a wireless router - timewarner even offers routers if you call them and ask about it (it'll raise your bill but at least they'll come out and set it up for you).

Answer 7

I don't think you can split a cable modem. You might try using a wireless router?