# What's a device that lets two computers use one modem called, please? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 15, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-device-that-lets-two-computers-use-one-modem-called-please/503144 "2009-07-15T20:00:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-device-that-lets-two-computers-use-one-modem-called-please/503144/1 "2009-07-15T20:00:52Z")
I’m having a brain block. At work I have 2 laptops that need to be connected to the cable I’net at once- is that just a splitter or what? Thanks, J ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-device-that-lets-two-computers-use-one-modem-called-please/503144/2 "2009-07-15T20:01:23Z")
router. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-device-that-lets-two-computers-use-one-modem-called-please/503144/3 "2009-07-15T20:03:09Z")
Router. Or… use one on a USB cable and one on an Ethernet cable to hit the modem directly. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-device-that-lets-two-computers-use-one-modem-called-please/503144/4 "2009-07-15T20:04:47Z")
Router? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-device-that-lets-two-computers-use-one-modem-called-please/503144/5 "2009-07-15T20:14:47Z")
Basically what I want is something like a power strip where you plug it into the wall and then you can plug two computers into it. Is that a router? (I only think of routers in connection to wirelessness and I want one that uses cords.) Thanks- ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-device-that-lets-two-computers-use-one-modem-called-please/503144/6 "2009-07-15T20:18:59Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Basically what I want is something like a power strip where you plug it into the wall and then you can plug two computers into it. Is that a router? (I only think of routers in connection to wirelessness and I want one that uses cords.) > > Thanks- Routers can be wireless or non-wireless. However, even the wireless ones usually have ports for wired connections. Most of the major brands are good and a simple router usually costs less than $50. ---
**Author:** ![Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fake_Tales_of_San_Francisco)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-device-that-lets-two-computers-use-one-modem-called-please/503144/7 "2009-07-15T20:23:11Z")
It’s often better to get a modem/router as one unit, if that’s an option for you. Less customer support lines to pester when things go wrong (and they always tend to blame each other for the fault). ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-device-that-lets-two-computers-use-one-modem-called-please/503144/8 "2009-07-15T20:25:41Z")
And here I was thinking that you were still on dialup and needed one of those serial port switch boxes. ---
**Author:** ![snailboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/97f17d/32.png) [@snailboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snailboy)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-device-that-lets-two-computers-use-one-modem-called-please/503144/9 "2009-07-16T01:27:16Z")
A lot of cable modems already have a router built-in. If that’s the case, you only need a hub or switch, which is cheaper than a router.