[ussfolsom]

I was looking into DSL, from bell atlantic, and they say that it is only for one computer. Is there some way to use the internet connection through two networked computers? Does this have to do with the service, or my equipment? I was thinking that I could buy an ethernet hub and connect the DSL line to it and then both computers to the hub. I don't see why I couldn't do this. I don't particularly care if the computers can use the internet at the same time, just that they can use it at all. Thanks for any help.
Matt

You sure can. I'm using Pacbell and with enhanced service you can put 2 computers on the same DSL line (with different addresses) and use both at the same time (as well as your telephone) if you wish. It costs a bit more and I'd check with your local service but they probably have some set-up you can use. It hooks up about like you indicated. From the incoming phone line to the DSL modem to an ethernet hub and then to each of your computers. To use 2 computers with one address (being online only one computer at a time) should also be possible. I'm not sure the hookup is the same. It seems I've heard or read a router may be needed in this configuration but I wouldn't want to state that as fact. In any case, some arrangement is probably available to make what you want possible. You may have to be persistent in asking about the possibilities with your local server. There has been such a rush in some areas to get DSL up and running that not all salespeople are fully up to speed to anything but basic installations. Good luck

[tooki]

I have set up Bell Atlantic DSL for several clients before and am somewhat familiar with its quirks and limitation. Bell Atlantic DSL allows only one predetermined (but changeable) machine to use their service. It will only work with the machine for which you have told them the hardware ethernet ID (found next to the serial number on desktop machines and under the keyboard on Powerbooks/iBooks). If you want to use more than one machine, you must either give them the ethernet IDs for all the machines (and pay accordingly), or use a hardware router such as a Macsense router or an Apple Airport Base Station (yes, the Airport base station can share an internet connection for ethernet-connected machines as well, even PCs!!). I'd recommend the Macsense one, though, because it supports far more users (252 vs 10 on Airport), unless you forsee getting an Airport-equipped Mac in the future.

Connecting two machines and the DSL modem to the hub will allow only the one machine whose ethernet ID they know to work.

With a router, you tell Bell Atlantic the ethernet ID of the router, which then takes care of routing the internet data to the right machine.

tooki

[tooki]

I have set up Bell Atlantic DSL for several clients before and am somewhat familiar with its quirks and limitation. Bell Atlantic DSL allows only one predetermined (but changeable) machine to use their service. It will only work with the machine for which you have told them the hardware ethernet ID (found next to the serial number on desktop machines and under the keyboard on Powerbooks/iBooks). If you want to use more than one machine, you must either give them the ethernet IDs for all the machines (and pay accordingly), or use a hardware router such as a Macsense router or an Apple Airport Base Station (yes, the Airport base station can share an internet connection for ethernet-connected machines as well, even PCs!!). I'd recommend the Macsense one, though, because it supports far more users (252 vs 10 on Airport), unless you forsee getting an Airport-equipped Mac in the future.

Connecting two machines and the DSL modem to the hub will allow only the one machine whose ethernet ID they know to work.

With a router, you tell Bell Atlantic the ethernet ID of the router, which then takes care of routing the internet data to the right machine.

tooki

[ussfolsom]

Thanks for all the info!

[pscates]

That's what I thought the whole AirPort thing was about anyway: one internet connection for multiple computers.
I'm getting DSL within the next 30-60 days and will also be purchasing an iBook sometime this summer or early fall to go along with my DV.
Being able to use them simultaneously isn't THAT big an issue for me (it'll just be me), but sometimes I'll want to surf and e-mail at my iMac and sometimes I may want to sit on the patio or slouch across my bed with the iBook and do it wirelessly and more relaxed. I shouldn't have to pay "extra" for that ability, should I?
It's the same connection...I'll just be using it on one of two computers depending on my mood or where I want to be.

------------------
Paul Scates
Carlsbad, CA
Tangerine? I'm all about tangerine!
iMac DV (384MB RAM, OS 9)

[Simon Kornblith]

You can use the program IPNetRouter to share one IP address across computers. As long as the computer running IPNR is on and has IPNR running, you can access the internet from a virtually unlimited amount of computers. It is $89, and has saved us $720 so far. It's not very intuitive to set up, but if you read the web site setup docs, you can get it set up in less than 10 min. http://www.sustworks.com/

------------------
Simon Kornblith
Computer Consultant
Programmer

[Jeebs]

Maybe your situation is different from mine, but I have an Asante router that allows me to use twol Macs with DSL from our phone company, TDS Metrocom. An Airport base station allows still more to connect, all at the same time.

[schalliol]

Just to summarize, you need a DSL router. They are fairly cheap and you should consider going with a wireless router with 802.11b (or g) because it's not much more than a router without that functionality.

I actually got a Linksys unit for $69 after ($10 mail-in rebate) at Fry's the other day. It would allow you to connect a DSL or cable adapter/modem to it and then distribute the network to your other machines.

[AssassyN]

Newbie Q here, but why wouldn't a normal hub work? Why would he need the router?

[schalliol]

Think of it like a phone line (as it is).

You can only talk to one party at a time and not confuse the message. If you were to have two analog modems and wish to connect, you can imagine what would happen. Even if they were both connecting, neither would know which machine the data is for.

As such, a router makes the connection through the modem/adapter and determines which machine on your network gets the data. We can talk about this in more detail if you like.

[AssassyN]

Ah, I'm beginning to understand...so is this the same on a cable connection? 2 computers can't connect to the net at the same time by just having them hooked into a standard hub? Because I'm having that problem...my cable connection won't allow 2 PCs to connect at the same time, yet one PC and my Xbox (Xbox LIVE service) CAN connect at the same time via just a hub...what gives? I would love to talk more about this, either in this post of via PM if you get time. Thanks man!

[schalliol]

If you want to chat, probably it's best to use AIM or iChat (JSchalliol).

My understanding with the xBox is that it is communicating with your PC and then your PC is communicating with the cable modem and on out to the Internet. If this is the case, then your xBox wouldn't care if there were other traffic in the hub/switch.

Just think of a router as the person standing at the top of a series of water slides. There are a group of people coming towards the network of water slides (i.e. Internet traffic), but there may be two or three water slides up there (i.e. computers on a network). If they all went at once, no one would see the little kid go down the vertical drop slide or see two people trying to go at once to another.

[AssassyN]

Hmm...I see...with my setup at home I have my cable modem sending it's signal via ethernet cable to Port 1 in my 5-port Hub, my main PC in Port 2, my secondary PC (that I can't get to connect while the main PC is running at the same time) in Port 3, and my Xbox in Port 4.

So you're saying that if PC #1 and PC #2 try to connect at the same time through one cable modem, a router is a must? Because when I have PC #1 running and online, and boot up PC #2 and try to get online, it actually goes to the DCHP server and retreives it's own IP address, DNS servers, etc. exactly like it's supposed to do from my cable provider's host signal. But that's all it will do, that's as far as it'll go. It'll retrieve it's IP address and info. from the cable provider but it won't connect to any internet sites, is this because only one PC at a time can get internet signals through that one cable modem UNLESS there's a router in place as well?

Also, when I get my 17" PowerBook, and I want to get online at my home WHILE my main PC is online, it won't connect without a router either will it? Like, I can't plug an ethernet cable from the PowerBook to Port 5 in my hub and expect to get online, cause it'll do just the same as my secondary PC is doing now, correct?

Any answers would be greatly appreciated!

[schalliol]

Yeah, all your machines are trying to talk to the dsl adapter and it just doesn't work.

As a result, you need a router. If you're getting a PowerBook you should get one that has wireless functionality too (see my not above about one for $70). However, you could also go with Apple's AirPort Extreme router, which is really nice, but expensive. Really you should look for a unit that offers 802.11g (built-in to your PowerBook) for faster services.

So, with wireless router, there's no need to plug in, but I do it sometimes to take advantage of 100Base-T for faster file transfers.

No more time to talk now, but either write back or hit me up online.

[AssassyN]

Ahh...I've been cursing this PC for months because it wouldn't get online and it's all because I don't have a router, thank you so much for solving my problem!

And when I get my 17" PowerBook, I *WILL* be getting an AirPort Extreme Base Station (no modem, no attenna input), and so you're saying that base station acts as a router also? So I won't need a seperate router if I get the AirPort Extreme Base Station b/c it *will* be my router? And will I *have* to make my PC's wireless also (get wireless PCI network cards for them) for them to all get online at once, being that the router is wireless?

Also, is there another wireless router besides the AirPort Extreme that uses the "g" technology? Or do all the rest use the "b" technology? Would you recommend any routers over the AirPort Extreme Base Station?

Thanks again for all your help!

[schalliol]

If you get an AE base station, that will serve as a router for you. Go to http://www.apple.com/airport/specs.html You'll see htere that it supports NAT (allows you to have one IP to the outside world but exchange with people), PPoE (a popular way to connect to DSL), etc. Those should meet your specs for your brodband provider, but you can always check.

The AE station will route local traffic as well as wirelessly, so you don't need to do anything more than connect it to your switch/hub and config. the unit and your PCs.

BTW, I encourage you to consider steping up to the unit with the modem port, as it has an antenna connection that would allow you more flexibility in your network and the modem port could be a good redundancy.

[AssassyN]

Ah, so I could simply run an ethernet cable from Port #5 in my hub into the AirPort Extreme Base Station and my PB could connect wirelessly AND the PC's that are already wired into the hub will now be routed also? Even though they aren't connecting wirelessly through the AE Base Station? So I wouldn't have to replace my PC's NIC cards with wireless NIC cards?

Also, with 3 computers online simultaneously with the AE Base Station, I'll technically only have one IP address to the outside world, therefore I couldn't have 3 people over all playing Quake III on an online game server at the same time because technically I've only got one IP, not 3, correct? Or with the AE Base Station in place would it allow all 3 computers to connect to a game server as 3 seperate computers?

Also, in my previous post I added this and was just wondering if you could answer it also: Also, is there another wireless router besides the AirPort Extreme that uses the "g" technology? Or do all the rest use the "b" technology? Would you recommend any routers over the AirPort Extreme Base Station?

Thanks again!!

[aaanorton]

You should really go check out the Networking forum for this sort of thing. This is all covered there.
You'll probably need to connect to the uplink port on your hub, from the Airport Ex base.
There are a lot of other manufacturers out there, but not many are making "g" units yet. However, even a "b" wireless router will be faster than your internet service, so unless you need, and can actually use the extra speed, you may as well stick with 802.11b. A "g" set up would be good for transferring LARGE files between computers regularly.

[RedStar]

Originally posted by aaanorton:
You should really go check out the Networking forum for this sort of thing. This is all covered there.

very good advice....There is a ton of information on networking that could take a long long time to explain, but maybe i can give a quick rundown without throwing too many people off.

-A hub will route your internet traffic, but it is like a flamebait topic in the lounge - just too many to sort through very quickly. So the hub will miss packets or take a little longer to distribute them to the correct computer. I also want to make very clear that A hub will not protect your network from intrusion at all;by this i mean worms, malicious hacker attempts etc.

-A router (not just apple airport - i am using a wireless linksys router with my verizon dsl and it has 10 times the range my friend gets with his airport base station) will address each individual packet to the computer it originated from and return each packet to it. This makes for a quicker more error proof internet connection. A router will also hide you from prying eyes and malicious type stuff to some extent.

-I use verizon dsl, and by giving them the mac address of my router i can connect the four computers we have in our apartment to the internet. You should have no problem. My advice would be to not pay even MORE money for dsl by telling them you have multiple comuters running on your network. Just get the connection, buy a router and set'er up.


damn that was my longest post ever...feel free to PM me if you have anymore networking questions.