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Dennis K.
Guest
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 Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 1:40 am Post subject: Best cable modem setup? |
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Adelphia (now TimeWarner) is coming out tomorrow to install RoadRunner.
I have several PCs connected on an ethernet via a hub. The PC I want to
be the host for the cable internet connection only has a low-speed USB
port.
Would it be best to install the cable modem on the PC's USB port or on
the ethernet hub?
--
Dennis K. |
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Warren
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 3:27 am Post subject: Re: Best cable modem setup? |
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Dennis K. wrote:
| Quote: | Adelphia (now TimeWarner) is coming out tomorrow to install RoadRunner.
I have several PCs connected on an ethernet via a hub. The PC I want to
be the host for the cable internet connection only has a low-speed USB
port.
Would it be best to install the cable modem on the PC's USB port or on
the ethernet hub?
|
Neither.
Go out, and get a router. You can replace the hub with the router, or just
connect the hub to the router.
Networking using USB connections is awkward at best. It should only be
used if a bus designed for networking (most commonly Ethernet) is not
available. And if your network uses a hub or a switch, and the PC is not
functioning as a router, you would need to pay for multiple IP addresses
to address everything on your network.
If you really want to emulate Rube Goldberg, have fun. But the easy way is
to just get a router, and make it easy on yourself.
--
Warren H.
==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.
Shop for networking gear:
http://www.holzemville.com/mall/linksys
http://www.holzemville.com/mall/netgear |
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Todd H.
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 3:28 am Post subject: Re: Best cable modem setup? |
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"Warren" <wholzem@hotmail.com> writes:
| Quote: | Dennis K. wrote:
Adelphia (now TimeWarner) is coming out tomorrow to install RoadRunner.
I have several PCs connected on an ethernet via a hub. The PC I want to
be the host for the cable internet connection only has a low-speed USB
port.
Would it be best to install the cable modem on the PC's USB port or on
the ethernet hub?
Neither.
Go out, and get a router. You can replace the hub with the router, or just
connect the hub to the router.
|
Hands down agreed. Replace the hub with a linksys BEFSR41 or WRT54G
(wireless) or equivalent. Both are reasonably priced and relatively
ubiquitous.
Best Regards,
--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/ |
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Bill M.
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 3:29 am Post subject: Re: Best cable modem setup? |
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On Thu, 11 Jan 2007 14:40:47 -0500, Dennis K. <nobody@iglou.invalid>
wrote:
| Quote: | Adelphia (now TimeWarner) is coming out tomorrow to install RoadRunner.
I have several PCs connected on an ethernet via a hub. The PC I want to
be the host for the cable internet connection only has a low-speed USB
port.
Would it be best to install the cable modem on the PC's USB port or on
the ethernet hub?
|
I wouldn't bother making one of the PC's the host. What most people do
is connect a router to the cable modem, then the individual PC's get
connected to the router via its built-in switch. No host, no hub, and
definitely no USB. Put an Ethernet NIC into each PC that doesn't
already have one.
--
Bill |
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$Bill
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 1:13 pm Post subject: Re: Best cable modem setup? |
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Dennis K. wrote:
| Quote: | Adelphia (now TimeWarner) is coming out tomorrow to install RoadRunner.
I have several PCs connected on an ethernet via a hub. The PC I want to
be the host for the cable internet connection only has a low-speed USB
port.
Would it be best to install the cable modem on the PC's USB port or on
the ethernet hub?
|
I also vote for the router. Netgear or Linksys are the approved choices.
Netgear is like $10 less usually, but you can get a wireless B router
for like $40-50 - maybe less with a rebate. Don't bother with any of
the Super-B or whatever - wait for the N router when the standard is
finalized if you need more bandwidth.
If you plan on ever using a laptop, get a wireless router with a 4-port
switch and definitely use ethernet rather than USB - just unplug each PC
from the hub and into the router's switch and connect the router to the
modem and you're good to go. |
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Warren
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 2:16 pm Post subject: Re: Best cable modem setup? |
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"$Bill" <news@SPAMOLAtodbe.com> wrote in message
news:45a7352c$0$18905$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
| Quote: | Dennis K. wrote:
Adelphia (now TimeWarner) is coming out tomorrow to install RoadRunner.
I have several PCs connected on an ethernet via a hub. The PC I want to
be the host for the cable internet connection only has a low-speed USB
port.
Would it be best to install the cable modem on the PC's USB port or on
the ethernet hub?
I also vote for the router. Netgear or Linksys are the approved
choices.
Netgear is like $10 less usually, but you can get a wireless B router
for like $40-50 - maybe less with a rebate. Don't bother with any of
the Super-B or whatever - wait for the N router when the standard is
finalized if you need more bandwidth.
|
Never heard of Super-B. G became the new standard a few years back. If you
really still do find a new B router, you should be able to get it for
under $10 ... and you'd still be over-paying for it.
At the stores around here, Netgear and Linksys prices are like Coke and
Pepsi prices. Usually one or the other, or both, are on sale at any given
time. Which one will be on sale when you walk in the door is a coin-flip,
and could be different at another store down the street.
You can almost always find a standard G router from Netgear or Linksys for
$39.99 or less. You can find other brands, like D-Link, Belkin, and a host
of other odd-ball brands for as little as $10 after rebates on a regular
basis. It's also not unusual to see these off-brands for free if you buy
something else like a computer.
As for the soupped-up G models, (Linksys's Speedbooster and SRX models, or
Netgear's RangeMax and Super-G models), unless your NIC uses the same
extra technology, your connection will simply fall-back to standard G. So
don't bother with these models unless you're also buying (or already have,
or plan to buy) the corresponding NIC's as well.
As for pre-N routers, you're betting that they really will be upgradable
to the true N standard once it becomes available later this year. If you
lose your bet, you'll be stuck with a proprietary router that'll drop back
to standard G. And, again, if you don't have the matching NIC's, you've
wasted money on a feature you won't be using.
| Quote: | If you plan on ever using a laptop, get a wireless router
|
Non-wireless routers are made in smaller quantities, and are less likely
to be marked-down to sale prices. At best, a non-wireless router will be
just $10 less than it's wireless sibling, but often there won't even be a
price difference. Don't even bother with the non-wireless models even if
you don't now need wireless, and even if you have no plans to use the
wireless capabilities in the future. (You can turn-off the wireless access
for security reasons if you're not going to take advantage of it.)
Wireless, essentially, comes down to a cost-free feature in the
marketplace as it exists today.
| Quote: | with a 4-port
switch and definitely use ethernet rather than USB - just unplug each PC
from the hub and into the router's switch and connect the router to the
modem and you're good to go.
|
If you have fewer than four things connected to your hub, you might as
well just get rid of it, and replace it with the 4-port router. (Actually
a router with a 4-port switch built in.) But if you're going to need more
than 4 ports, connect what you can to the router, and run the rest through
the hub (or switch) connected to the router.
Don't bother with the routers with more than 4 ports. Usually an 8 port
version is available, but not commonly available, and you're not likely to
see the same price breaks as with the 4 port versions that are ubiquitous
in stores that sell anything related to computers. Save your money, and
stick with those 4 port versions.
--
Warren H.
==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.
Shop for networking gear:
http://www.holzemville.com/mall/linksys
http://www.holzemville.com/mall/netgear |
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Dennis K.
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 2:27 pm Post subject: Re: Best cable modem setup? |
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On Thu, 11 Jan 2007 23:13:48 -0800, "$Bill" <news@SPAMOLAtodbe.com>
wrote:
| Quote: | I also vote for the router.
|
I had a hard enough time finding a hub with a coax port (I have an older
PC that I still use occasionally).
Will it work with a hub?
--
Dennis K. |
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Dennis K.
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 9:29 pm Post subject: Re: Best cable modem setup? |
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On 11 Jan 2007 21:17:43 -0600, comphelp@toddh.net (Todd H.) wrote:
| Quote: | Hands down agreed. Replace the hub with a linksys BEFSR41 or WRT54G
(wireless) or equivalent. Both are reasonably priced and relatively
ubiquitous.
|
I am reading up on the linksys BEFSR41. It talks about a web based
setup. If all I have right now is dial-up, can it still be setup? Or do
you need to connect it the high-speed cable to set it up? In other
words, what should I get installed first ... the router or the
high-speed cable. Chicken or egg?
--
Dennis K. |
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Dennis K.
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 10:01 pm Post subject: Re: Best cable modem setup? |
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On Fri, 12 Jan 2007 07:23:47 -0500, Dennis K. <nobody@iglou.invalid>
wrote:
| Quote: | On Thu, 11 Jan 2007 23:13:48 -0800, "$Bill" <news@SPAMOLAtodbe.com
wrote:
I also vote for the router.
I had a hard enough time finding a hub with a coax port (I have an older
PC that I still use occasionally).
Will it work with a hub?
|
To answer my own question, the section entitled "Individual Internet
connections" (see link below) seems to imply that I can get it to work
with a network hub. But I have to think that there is something that I
am missing here.
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/hnw_nohost_computerw.mspx?mfr=true
--
Dennis K. |
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Todd H.
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 10:13 pm Post subject: Re: Best cable modem setup? |
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Dennis K. <nobody@iglou.invalid> writes:
| Quote: | On Thu, 11 Jan 2007 23:13:48 -0800, "$Bill" <news@SPAMOLAtodbe.com
wrote:
I also vote for the router.
I had a hard enough time finding a hub with a coax port (I have an older
PC that I still use occasionally).
Will it work with a hub?
|
Yes. Just connect the hub to one of the ports of the 4-port switch of
the home router. If your current hub bridges ethernet and co-ax
interfaces, it should all work fine.
Otherwise, I have an ISA ethernet NIC I'll happily part with for $20
to replace your co-ax NIC on your old PC.
--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/ |
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Todd H.
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 10:39 pm Post subject: Re: Best cable modem setup? |
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Dennis K. <nobody@iglou.invalid> writes:
| Quote: | On Thu, 11 Jan 2007 17:57:06 -0800, "Warren" <wholzem@hotmail.com
wrote:
Go out, and get a router. You can replace the hub with the router, or just
connect the hub to the router.
Would I use a regular cable to connect the hub to the router? Or a
crossover cable?
|
Regular cable should work fine in the uplink port of the hub (or in a
port switched for uplink), otherwise an xover in a regular port will
do ya for interconnecting to the switch.
--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/ |
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Todd H.
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 10:48 pm Post subject: Re: Best cable modem setup? |
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Dennis K. <nobody@iglou.invalid> writes:
| Quote: | On 11 Jan 2007 21:17:43 -0600, comphelp@toddh.net (Todd H.) wrote:
Hands down agreed. Replace the hub with a linksys BEFSR41 or WRT54G
(wireless) or equivalent. Both are reasonably priced and relatively
ubiquitous.
I am reading up on the linksys BEFSR41. It talks about a web based
setup. If all I have right now is dial-up, can it still be setup? Or do
you need to connect it the high-speed cable to set it up? In other
words, what should I get installed first ... the router or the
high-speed cable. Chicken or egg?
|
Hi Dennis,
Just means that hte router configuration is via a web browser
interface. There's a tiny little web server built into the router.
Just point your browser at http://192.168.0.1/ by default to see the
config page. No active internet is required for this to work. That's
a LAN address.
--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/ |
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Dennis K.
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 11:01 pm Post subject: Re: Best cable modem setup? |
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On 12 Jan 2007 10:39:48 -0600, comphelp@toddh.net (Todd H.) wrote:
| Quote: | Dennis K. <nobody@iglou.invalid> writes:
On Thu, 11 Jan 2007 17:57:06 -0800, "Warren" <wholzem@hotmail.com
wrote:
Go out, and get a router. You can replace the hub with the router, or just
connect the hub to the router.
Would I use a regular cable to connect the hub to the router? Or a
crossover cable?
Regular cable should work fine in the uplink port of the hub (or in a
port switched for uplink), otherwise an xover in a regular port will
do ya for interconnecting to the switch.
|
Todd:
Thanks for all the answers.
--
Dennis K. |
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John Gray
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2007 12:43 am Post subject: Re: Best cable modem setup? |
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comphelp@toddh.net (Todd H.) wrote in news:84hcuw9onk.fsf@ripco.com:
| Quote: | Dennis K. <nobody@iglou.invalid> writes:
On 11 Jan 2007 21:17:43 -0600, comphelp@toddh.net (Todd H.) wrote:
Hands down agreed. Replace the hub with a linksys BEFSR41 or WRT54G
(wireless) or equivalent. Both are reasonably priced and relatively
ubiquitous.
|
I opted for a wireless router, just in case I ( or guests ) ever needed it.
It can be disabled via the router's internal web interface.
| Quote: | I am reading up on the linksys BEFSR41. It talks about a web based
setup. If all I have right now is dial-up, can it still be setup? Or do
you need to connect it the high-speed cable to set it up? In other
words, what should I get installed first ... the router or the
high-speed cable. Chicken or egg?
Hi Dennis,
Just means that hte router configuration is via a web browser
interface. There's a tiny little web server built into the router.
Just point your browser at http://192.168.0.1/ by default to see the
config page. No active internet is required for this to work. That's
a LAN address.
|
Typically the default is http://192.168.1.1 for most Linksys routers and
several others. |
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Dennis K.
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2007 12:48 am Post subject: Re: Best cable modem setup? |
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On 11 Jan 2007 21:17:43 -0600, comphelp@toddh.net (Todd H.) wrote:
| Quote: | "Warren" <wholzem@hotmail.com> writes:
Dennis K. wrote:
Adelphia (now TimeWarner) is coming out tomorrow to install RoadRunner.
I have several PCs connected on an ethernet via a hub. The PC I want to
be the host for the cable internet connection only has a low-speed USB
port.
Would it be best to install the cable modem on the PC's USB port or on
the ethernet hub?
Neither.
Go out, and get a router. You can replace the hub with the router, or just
connect the hub to the router.
Hands down agreed. Replace the hub with a linksys BEFSR41 or WRT54G
(wireless) or equivalent. Both are reasonably priced and relatively
ubiquitous.
|
OK. I cancelled the roadrunner installation for today and ordered a
WRT54G. I don't have wireless right now but it has the 4 switched ports
I can use. I should be able to uplink my old PC on the network hub to
the router.
When the router comes and I get it installed and working, I will reorder
roadrunner from timewarner. They say they will only support the
broadband connection up to the router. But since they aren't charging me
for installation and their is no minimum commitment, if I can't get
things to work I can always cancel the service.
I may be back for more help in a week or two. ;-)
Thanks all!
--
Dennis K. |
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