Internet Sharing

[SNAZZTEC]

hi.

Was wondering if any1 can help:

i need to allow 3 computers at home to access internet simultaneously. I currnetly have broadband speed 250k.

AOL -Service provider tels me that i need more band width does anyone know a way round this?

do i need a router ..i already have a switch??

tanxs

 

[Rizin]

All your PC's will need NIC's, if you have a switch, put the CAT5 cable from your modem to the "WAN" port, then just run 3 CAT5 cable's from your switch to the PC's.

 

[Lorand]

Usually ISPs allow you to connect only one computer to that modem, and to connect more computers through a switch you'll need multiple IPs (with extra connection costs).
But there is way aroud this: set up a gateway for internet connection sharing just like this:

The gateway could be an old computer: an 386 with 8 MB RAM would do it. It won't even need a HDD, only a working floppy drive and two generic NICs.
Keyboard and monitor are required only when configuring it for the first time, its settings could be changed later within an internet browser from any of the computers from the network.
And here is the soft for it: http://freesco.org/
All you have to do during setup is to assign your IP (and gateway, DNS servers, etc.) provided by your ISP to the first NIC and a local IP to the second NIC. After that save the configuration, restart and you're done.
As a bonus, it has a built-in firewall too.