Connecting Cable Modem to Lynksys Router

[TheCardMan]

I am getting a new Cable modem which is USB, How do I get this to connect to my Lynksys 4 port Router? It only has a RJ45 input for WAN connection. Are there any converters out there that will change USB to RJ45 connector?

[NooNoo]

[quote]Originally posted by TheCardMan:
<strong>I am getting a new Cable modem which is USB, How do I get this to connect to my Lynksys 4 port Router? It only has a RJ45 input for WAN connection. Are there any converters out there that will change USB to RJ45 connector?</strong><hr></blockquote>

Not that I know of! I would be interested in one of those too! You can get routers with usb links or put a box together just to run the modem and share the connection.

[kato]

Does your cable modem only support USB? because it would be much cheaper just to pick up a 3 ft cat 5 cable then it would to find the kind of adapter you are looking for.

[TheCardMan]

The Cable company is telling me that the only output is via USB. I have seen the Lynksys Cable Modem that has both USB & RJ45 outputs. The cable company claims that only thier modems work on thier service.

I believe they are using these "USB" only devices to try to stop people from using routers to share the internet connection. I know I can set up my machine as a gateway for others but I do not want to have the other machines dependent on my machine being turned on to connect to the internet.

[kato]

Well I know they do make USB - RJ45 adapters, but not the kind you're looking for I think. They are more of a dongle that plugs into the PC USB and then when drivers are installed allow the dongle to function as a 10baseT NIC.

DO you all ready have the linksys router? Because one option would be to find an old PC with USB ports and build a linux router/gateway that you can stuff in a closet, and hook to cheap 4 port or 8 port switch/hub.

<a href="http://smoothwall.org" target="_blank">smoothwall</a> is free and a breeze to set up and has support for USB ADSL (so I'd assume USB cable modem would work as well) Smoothwall will pass out IPs via DHCP, run a firewall, port forward, set up VPN etc etc. It's a greay utility. I've never used linux before and had the smoothwall box up in under 30min. It's great. Just something to think about.

[TheCardMan]

Thanks all, as it works out, the cable modem they sent me was a Motorola Surfboard which has both USB and RJ-45 on the back. Works like a charm with my router.

Thanks again....

[DiR[ëctory]]

That is the same modem I have...works good.

[Ahcoraj]

Dont ya just love it when an ISP's own tech support people dont know their equipment?

[TheCardMan]

Oh yeah, this guy even told me to expect 1gig Uploads (or as he called it "1 Jigger Bytes"). I questioned him and he insisted it was what he gets with it. Told me I was gonna love it! I said Okay and laughed!! Oh well, at least it beats 56k......