Is there such a thing as a double ethernet connection for xbox and broadband?

Col200sx

I've got NTL/UPC wired broadband for my Mac.

But there's only 1 ethernet connection on the router, so when I wanna play xbox live, I've gotta disconnect from my mac, and connect my xbox ethernet cable.

So I'm wondering can you get a double socket into single socket ethernet connection, so that it can connect into the router and I don't have to bother changing them over all the time?

(This also means that when xbox is connected, I've no internet on the Mac which I'd like to have too)

Thanks all:)

Ash.J.Williams

Plug the router into a small hub or switch?

Avns1s

Something like this should do just fine.

Lenny

I have a router/switch that'll do the job if your interested, will sell it for a tenner?

Knasher

As far as I know, the UPC modem you have gives out a single public IP address. In which case you need to get a router and not a switch to be able to access internet from both of them at the same time. Additionally as they are now sharing a single connection they need to behind a NAT firewall (which is what a router does) and you need to set up some sort of forwarding for your xbox to work correctly.

I've used this in the past and found it to be pretty reliable.

Ash.J.Williams

Knasher wrote: »

As far as I know, the UPC modem you have gives out a single public IP address. In which case you need to get a router and not a switch to be able to access internet from both of them at the same time. Additionally as they are now sharing a single connection they need to behind a NAT firewall (which is what a router does) and you need to set up some sort of forwarding for your xbox to work correctly.

I've used this in the past and found it to be pretty reliable.

but that single public address would nat to several internal adresses so the swtich should work fine.

Kensington

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

but that single public address would nat to several internal adresses so the swtich should work fine.

NAT is a routing function and therefore needs a router, switches and hubs don't route so will not work in this situation.

noxqs

That is just not true.

Even the cheapest switch will NAT 1 external IP to an internal subnet. My current setup is almost identical to OP, its UPC wired using an iMac, WDTV Live and a PS3. This works perfectly, the UPC modem is a router.

Knasher

Switches can't NAT, if they can then they aren't switches.

It is possible that the UPC modem can be put into a NAT mode and act as a router. I don't have one any more unfortunately so I can't actually check it, from what I remember it can't but I'm not 100%. To be honest I'm not sure if I would even recommend this as I can't imagine that it would be a particularly good router, but it would probably be okay for a small network

It is also possible that UPC will give out more than one IP of you have multiple devices connected via a switch. Again I haven't tried this so I'm not sure.

noxqs can I ask what version of the UPC modem you have and what switch you are using it with.

noxqs

I'll check when I get home. I have a bog standard UPC router I believe, I plugged this into my switch and then the other devices, just worked.

This is pretty standard way for cable/adsl modems/routers to work. I have never had one where plugging it into a switch didnt automatically NAT the internet connection properly. No I only have 1 external IP, I tested this.

noxqs

Its a Scientific Atlanta EPC 2203. According to the online manuals I found its a cable modem AND router. I suppose that explains the functionality.

Knasher

Interesting, I've used that device but when I was using it it was functioning as a modem only. In any case I stand corrected.

OP if you do a "ifconfig en0" in the terminal on your mac and look at the IP. If its in the 192.168.*.* or 172.16.*.* or 10.*.*.* (where * can be any digit) then you should be able to get a simple switch and work away. If it isn't in one of those ranges then it is a public address and you need to do NAT, possibly on the modem/router you already have before you can use the switch.

watty

Switches don't NAT.

Some areas the UPC modem will issue more than one IP, so works with a switch.

Some UPC modems have built in Routers (more than one ethernet port and wifi, it's definitely a router).

Any using a Modem without a Router/NAT is missing out on decent firewall protection.

The EPC2203 is not a router, it gives out public IP addresses. It should only give out one address but I've seen them give out 3 or 4 at times. The most reliable solution is a standalone router rather than a switch.

Col200sx

Thanks all for the replies

But now I'm more confused than before :P

jor el

You just need a router. A Linksys WRT54G is often recommended. A basic switch might work, but then again it might not, so why waste time and money when a router will definitely work?

Kensington

I'd recommend the Linksys too!
You can buy one here, for example.
It'd be a good idea to also install this free firmware on it, it's a pretty good alternative to that which comes pre-loaded on the router.

Then you simply connect the "WAN" port on the Linksys to the Ethernet socket on your cablemodem (where you currently plug the Mac/PS3 in).
There will be four more of these Ethernet sockets on the back of the Linksys. You plug your Mac and PS3 into these sockets - you'll be able to plug both in at the same time (and use them both online at the same time too) so no more switching cables around.

You will need to set up port forwarding to allow your PS3 to be able to connect to and from other consoles to game online correctly but there's plenty of information on google (and on here if you ask!)

Knasher

Plus if you go with a router it will also have wireless access which might come in handy.

I'm not sure if I'd recommend you start looking at alternative firmwares just yet though as they can get a little complicated and (no offense) you don't sound all that technical.