Use a hub to connect 2 pc's to the cable modem. Why doesn't it work?

I am using a 10/100 8 port hub to connect 2 pcs directly to the internet.

The cable modem is plugged directly in port 1. The other 2 computers are plugged in to port 2 and 3. Only 1 pc is connecting to the internet.

Shouldn't the second PC automatically get assigned another IP address?

I can't ping anything off of my second computer. The same computer (laptop) connects fine at school. I checked the cables and they are all ok. I know the hub is ok because a few days ago I was using it on another LAN.

Any ideas or suggestions?

TIA

The hub won't assign the second computer a IP address, you need to do that manually, and to get that IP #, you have to call your ISP and they will give you a second IP #, an happily charge you for it as well. :D

What you need to get is a router, which you will assign your current IP address, and any computer that is hooked up to the router will be assigned an IP # by the router. Then you can surf the net with any computer using the 1 IP address your ISP gave you.

Anybody please correct me if I am wrong. Good Luck!

[quote]Originally posted by pm4345:
<strong>I am using a 10/100 8 port hub to connect 2 pcs directly to the internet.

The cable modem is plugged directly in port 1. The other 2 computers are plugged in to port 2 and 3. Only 1 pc is connecting to the internet.

Shouldn't the second PC automatically get assigned another IP address?

I can't ping anything off of my second computer. The same computer (laptop) connects fine at school. I checked the cables and they are all ok. I know the hub is ok because a few days ago I was using it on another LAN.

Any ideas or suggestions?

TIA</strong><hr></blockquote>

Just a quick thought, The cable service we have here (@home) Requiers you to have your computer name to be for exmple "wikdhwi49-A" and then they auto sign you an IP, I think you can't have two computers with the same name get different IP addresses at the same time. Haven really been able to test this, like i said, its just a thought. :) :cool:

I understand that the hub will not assign an IP address. However is there not a server on the otherside that assigns IP Addresses? If so, why didn't it assign the second computer an IP address.

what assigns the IP address to the computer? The cable modem or is the IP address assigned to the Cable modem?

The problem is that I need to do this at a customer who also has the same company for a cable modem. He is also a Prudential Agent and wants to use his Laptop to connect to Prudential Intranet. I have Internet Connection Sharing running on a Win98 "serveR" at his house which works fine for all computers except his Prudential Laptop. When we connect his Prudential Laptop directly to the cable modem it connects to the Prudential Intranet, but if I try to connect using the "internal network" in his house, it times out.

Anyone have any experience with a similar situation? This is why I am wondering if a Linksys or similar router would even work.

Thanks for the quick reply you guys...

[quote]Originally posted by FastAndFurious:
<strong>Just a quick thought, The cable service we have here (@home) Requiers you to have your computer name to be for exmple "wikdhwi49-A" and then they auto sign you an IP, I think you can't have two computers with the same name get different IP addresses at the same time. Haven really been able to test this, like i said, its just a thought. :) :cool: </strong><hr></blockquote>

That "name" and the IP (if static) can be programmed into the router.

If the notebook needs to travel another network there are a couple of options. I think the easiest is still using a router. If the notebook already uses DHCP to connect to the office network then you don't need to change anything on the notebook, just make sure the router has the correct "cable" settings. If the notebook's office network uses static IP's and such, you can easily change the router's LAN IP Addressing to match what the notebook needs so that the NB doesn't need to be changed everytime it's moved.

[quote]Originally posted by pm4345:
<strong>However is there not a server on the otherside that assigns IP Addresses? If so, why didn't it assign the second computer an IP address.

what assigns the IP address to the computer? The cable modem or is the IP address assigned to the Cable modem?
</strong><hr></blockquote>

[quote]Originally posted by Fierce1
<strong>you need to do that manually, and to get that IP #, you have to call your ISP and they will give you a second IP #, an happily charge you for it as well.
What you need to get is a router, which you will assign your current IP address, and any computer that is hooked up to the router will be assigned an IP # by the router. Then you can surf the net with any computer using the 1 IP address your ISP gave you. </strong><hr></blockquote>

Dude, get a router. Problem solved.

Buy.com has 4-port SMC routers which includes a print server (nice bonus) for like $70 (US).

I personally recommend Linksys for their simple interface and excellent support. My 4-port ran $89 (US).

Fine since y'all said get a router, I did. Overnite to be exact. Should get it today. Now if it don't work, I'll be kicking all your a$$es all the way to Bin Laden's cave. (just kidding)

:D :D :D

Holy Crap! I ordered the router from Outpost last night at 10.30pm and for only $12.XX I chose overnight. I picked it up this morning at 10.30am!

That is the fastest package delivery I have ever gotten and that too for $12!

i agree with the router idea....that is what i am doing...the only way i have seen a hub work is if you make one computer work as a router and install two network cards

cable to cable modem
cable modem to nic1
nic1 to hub
hub to all

Agreed with above posts advising towards router...Using same lynsys here. Don't forget it also saves you money (added IP= mo'money usually)
Which one did you get?

I ended up geting the Linksys 4port..... plugged it into my lan and most everything configured itself. Lets hope it is this easy at the customers tomorrow.

Thanks for the suggestion guys... even if it doesn't work for the customer I suppose I will have to eat the cost and use it at home <wink>. Thats what I will tell the wife anyway.... he he

Ok i'm sure someone else has posted something to the effect of what i'm about to say but i dont have time to read through all of them to see if anyone actually put in the right answer to this (one that makes sence to anyone that is)
First of all you have 1 IP address from your ISP and unless you pay for more that is all you will get. This IP address is for lack of a better term at the moment your "External" IP address, or your internet IP address. Now what needs to happen can be done one of 2 ways, i'll explain the easiest first. A hub simply conects pc's to each other (or in some cases other hubs), a hub is NOT capable of "routing" traffic in such a way that requests out to the internet would get where they need to be, this is where a router comes into play, now this router can be setup to auto asign "Internal" ip addresses to any system that conects into that is set to auto grab an ip address. Now this router has an IP address of its own as well, and when a computer conects in to get an IP address the router also asigns that computer a gateway IP address (which would be the IP address of the router) the cable/dsl etc then plugs into the routers WAN port (may be labled differently on some routers) and then the router can be setup to access the cable
once all this is done abra ca dabra you have a working boardband internet conection sharing setup

The next way is to make one of your pc's the "router" if you have Windows 2000 (or even Win98 SE with ICS) but you must have 2 NIC's in the one machine (one to the cable/dsl modem, and one to your network) then configure ICS and setup each additional machine on your network to look at that machine for internet, i dont prefere this method myself as multiple nic's in a single system first of all usually isnt a supported setup by the ISP, and second can sometimes cause conflicts
hope this helps clear things up

good thing you went with a router, even if you got the two up with a hub your security would be crappy/bothersome!

I personally use a proxy server w/checkpoint firewall but I have a pretty good network to protect. The only downside to a proxy is a higher ping on games but owell...

I currently use the Linksys 4port router so I can just plug my laptop in at home without having to unplug the cable from my computer, turn off the cable modem and reboot. It works great. I notice only a very tiny dropoff in speed. The Linksys is great the way it configures almost everything automatically. The only thing that would be better would be if I could use the two vacant places on the router as a hub, or somehow communicate thru the router to the other computer. Sort of a combo hub and router. Of course if it could be done thru one net card... WOW

[quote]Originally posted by techs:
<strong>I currently use the Linksys 4port router so I can just plug my laptop in at home without having to unplug the cable from my computer, turn off the cable modem and reboot. It works great. I notice only a very tiny dropoff in speed. The Linksys is great the way it configures almost everything automatically. The only thing that would be better would be if I could use the two vacant places on the router as a hub, or somehow communicate thru the router to the other computer. Sort of a combo hub and router. Of course if it could be done thru one net card... WOW</strong><hr></blockquote>

You can!!!, Either install NETBUI or search for the PC's IP on your network. If you are running WIN2K then create new shares to get rid of the $ next to the drive name. There is no reason why you can't share files behind a router.

The reason why the second computer would not get an IP address is that the physical address of the LAN card did not match your ISPs records. The ISPs system identifies you by the MAC address on the LAN card. To add a second (or more computers) you will need to set up a router with MAC aliasing. The LinkSys I have allows this function as do many other manufactures. Be sure to set the MAC alias in the router to be the same as the MAC address on the computer that does connect. Once this is done, and the rest of the router configuratioin is correct,all should be well.

Cheers! :-)

[quote]Originally posted by yingling:
<strong>

You can!!!, Either install NETBUI or search for the PC's IP on your network. If you are running WIN2K then create new shares to get rid of the $ next to the drive name. There is no reason why you can't share files behind a router.</strong><hr></blockquote>

I will try it!

You may need to get a router because some cable modems bind to the first mac address it come in contact with making any other computers not able to use it. if you get a router like linksys which allows you to clone a mac address. you can put in the mac address of the first computer you hooked to the cable modem then you can have the router's DHCP Server give out ip's or sign ip manually

There is a way to do it, unfortunately I tried it. MS internet sharing is supposed to work (I never got the stupid thing to work properly, so I canned it). As said above the best way to go for all around speed, connectivity, and security will be a good router. Notice I said GOOD. Luckily I found mine at a Christmas sale at HUDSON's at 40% off a 79.99 price (Linksys 4 port). Easy connection and so far I love it! Now if you really want to go easy go with a Linksys Router/Switch, no messy extra wiring and it's easier to troubleshoot. Good Luck!

By the way FYI a hub or switch is used to network a series of PC's together, IT WILL NOT BE ABLE to act as a DCHP or assign addresses to another PC. As far as an extra IP address goes, @home (Comcast) charges a substantial monthly fee for this, going with a router is the best ROUTE!

your router should also act as a hub. i set up a linksys for a company and they had full network capabilities. They could share files and printers

[quote]Originally posted by techs:
<strong>I currently use the Linksys 4port router so I can just plug my laptop in at home without having to unplug the cable from my computer, turn off the cable modem and reboot. It works great. I notice only a very tiny dropoff in speed. The Linksys is great the way it configures almost everything automatically. The only thing that would be better would be if I could use the two vacant places on the router as a hub, or somehow communicate thru the router to the other computer. Sort of a combo hub and router. Of course if it could be done thru one net card... WOW</strong><hr></blockquote>

The 4port linksys we have here in our home office works as a hub as well as a router. Infact we're running another hub off one of the ports just to save on running extra cabling out to the other rooms on the other side of the house.

Ok heres what the solution is

Call your local providor
tell them you have a 2nd computer you want to use
they will assign a second computer name for the new computer(number will be almost identical but will end in different letter like a -b instead of a -a)
enter the computer name in the system
reboot and it will be assigned a separate ip address by the isp's dhcp server.

I know this as i work for the local @home providor in iowa.

[quote]Originally posted by Mustang:
<strong>Ok heres what the solution is

Call your local providor
tell them you have a 2nd computer you want to use
they will assign a second computer name for the new computer(number will be almost identical but will end in different letter like a -b instead of a -a)
enter the computer name in the system
reboot and it will be assigned a separate ip address by the isp's dhcp server.

I know this as i work for the local @home providor in iowa.</strong><hr></blockquote>

If he's using a router paying for a second IP from the ISP is unnecessary and a waste of money....

I had the same problem, 2 comps, win xp, cable modem and a regular 4 port hub. I was going the get a router, but a friend of mine told me about a program. All I had to do was run it on both computers, choose one as a server, the other a client, and that's it. I'm still amazed that it actually worked. The name of it is Sygate Home Network 4.2. Good luck whichever way you went.