I do need to know, though a couple of things to figure out which service I’m gonna go with… one of the wrinkles is that we need it for two people. So here are the questions I’ve got left after what research I’ve done.
Is a second modem required for DSL? All you need for the second computer is to make sure there’s a network card, right?
On the cable modem side… Roadrunner says that their QA department has not yet verified that they can support Windows XP. Since I work for a company that is blessed(?) with a QA department, I know this can mean a very broad span of things. Anybody out there use Roadrunner on XP?
Is there a way to find out if a PC has a network card without looking at the back, taking it apart, &c? I hate having to drag the computer out of the computer desk just to answer a frickin’ question…
No, you can share one modem with an ethernet router. Some cable internet suppliers place limits on networking through routers, however, so you’ll want to check with your provider, first.
No, you don’t need a second modem. To share your Internet connection, you’ll either need to buy a cheap router or install a second network card in one of your PCs and use Internet Connection sharing. A router would be the recommended way to go because you don’t have to put any strain on the resources of one computer for the other one to have access.
To find out if your PC has a network card, go to the Device Manager and look for an entry under “Network Adapters.” Typing ipconfig /all at a command prompt will show you all of your network adapters and the IP addresses assigned to each.
Also note that some companies like to charge you more if you’re going to share your DSL connection. No, it doesn’t make sense to me either (they’re still feeding you the same amount of bandwidth), but they do it.
Me again. Thanks. As always, very helpful, insightful, and FAST answers.
I had been thinking up to now that a second cable modem was definitely needed for a second user. Reading between the lines here, now I wouldn’t bet on it… anybody who could spare me a call to the cable company, well I’ll be toastin’ yer health in about half an hour.
True, but a decent router gives you hardware firewall protection, which is immune to the ability of some viruses to shut down a software firewall. Dunno if your hub does that or not.
I have had Roadrunner with Windows XP since XP was released.
Had Roadrunner on OS/2 for that matter. As long you’ve got an ethernet connection to the cable modem and the OS supports TCP/IP, there shouldn’t be any issues, whatever OS you use.
The install tech did look at me funny, though, when he came in to hook up Roadrunner. That’s what they get for not letting me install it myself.
Just so you know, even if you have 10 computers hooked to a router, your service provider will only see one computer. Once traffic goes to the ‘one computer’ (the router), the information will be forwarded to the appropriate computer.
Yea, my ISP deigns to let you have a network on the DSL connection, but you shouldn’t try it without their specially approved hardware and stuff, cause you won’t know what you’re doing and they won’t help you when it breaks. Puh-leeze.
I use an office gateway thingie I got from Toshiba that works just dandy for all the PCs and consoles I’ve got hooked in here.
We recently bought a D-Link DI-604 broadband-sharing router, and it’s the cat’s petootie – about $50. Quick and easy setup, lotsa bandwidth for all four PC’s!
Hubs are OK, but you have to be users who don’t mind sorting through each other’s email and such. With a hub, every PC connected gets every bit of data on the network, simultaneously. A router is a much smarter device, capable of, um, “routing” info to the user that requested it.
As for finding your NIC, I dunno about XP, but in Me, it works like this: Start/Settings/Control Panel/System/Device Manager/Network adapters. You’ll see some generic stuff like, “DialUp Adapter” and “Internet Connection Sharing” and “Microsoft Virtual Private Networking Adapter,” but if an NIC is installed you’ll see something more specific. Mine, f’rinstance, sez “Intel® PRO/100B PCI Adapter (TX).” THAT is my NIC. If something like that doesn’t show, it means either that you have no network card, or that you have one that has never been recognized by the system (no drivers installed).
Well with our household DSL account, we are allowed multiple email aliases, so each computer has an email client with it’s own unique passwords and usernames.
