2 pcs 1 network point

kevodaly

Is it possible to connect 2 pc's to a network in a room where there is only one port ?

secret_squirrel

Easiest way is probably with a cheap 4 port hub.

Avns1s

http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=321792

http://www.elara.ie/products/switches.asp

Should be something in these to sort u out.

Deagol

By a cheap small switch. Example: http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=323880

Sponge Bob

the dlink can auto crossover . otherwise you need a crossover cable between the switch ( or hub) and the wall socket

Foxwood

Actually, this is the cheapest/simplest solution. It's a passive 2 port hub, and doesn't require a power supply as all the other solutions do. It's basically an ethernet splitter.

There's a picture on Amazon.

joe_chicken

Foxwood wrote:

Actually, this is the cheapest/simplest solution. It's a passive 2 port hub, and doesn't require a power supply as all the other solutions do. It's basically an ethernet splitter.

There's a picture on Amazon.

How does that work?
Does each PC not need a seperate IP address?... how does it distinguish?

I would have gone for the €32 D-Link

Foxwood

joe_chicken wrote:

How does that work?
Does each PC not need a seperate IP address?... how does it distinguish?

I would have gone for the €32 D-Link

The €32 D-Link doesn't give out IP addresses either. The IP addresses come from your DHCP server, not from the hub or switch. There's no no problem having multiple devices sharing one single piece of ethernet cable.

I wouldn't use this "splitter" for a high speed LAN connection, but for sharing broadband it should work just fine.

joe_chicken

Does it not need to make a distinction between MAC addresses then...

How does the splitter do that?

Foxwood

joe_chicken wrote:

Does it not need to make a distinction between MAC addresses then...

How does the splitter do that?

Why would it need to make a distinction between MAC addresses? Ethernet signals are broadcasts - an adapter hears everything on the physical medium, and only picks up packets that are addressed to it's MAC. You wouldn't need MAC addresses if the medium was exclusive, would you?

An ethernet switch is (usually) an "active" advice that will filter out the packets, and only send packets addressed to MAC XYZ on the port that MAC XYZ is plugged into. A Hub is usually a passive device that will send all packets out on all ports, and leave it up to the devices themselves to pick up their own packets. This "splitter" is the ultimate passive hub it has absolutely no electronics in it at all, and quite literally "splits" the signal into 2 ethernet ports.

kevodaly

great thanks a lot for all the replies - i must try the splitter
the 2 pcs will just be accessing the internet over the network so it should be ok

joe_chicken

Foxwood wrote:

....only picks up packets that are addressed to it's MAC...
.

*doh* I think I had that little fact hidden away in my little brain somewhere.


Thanks