"ME Hill" wrote in
news:RaGdnSUZJJZtKkTcRVn-hg@buckeye-express.com:

> I have two new Dells I'd like to have share a cable internet
> connection. They're pretty much side by side. I don't really care
> about file sharing - if I have to, I can either e-mail the file or use
> my little memory stick - so I really just need the lowest cost option
> to have both connected to the internet (with independent navigation,
> of course).
>
> I bought a 4-port router off e-bay that doesn't work (my first bad buy
> on ebay out of like 100) and now wonder if there isn't just some kind
> of splitter or something I could get instead? Or connect the two
> computers with something other than an RJ 45 (each comp only has one
> port of this type) and have one computer access the internet through
> the other. If that's possbile, what other connection cable would work
> between the two systems?
>
> Ugh - whoever said ignorance is bliss wasn't necessarly right!!
>
> Thanks for any guidance!
>
> Mary
>
>
>

You'll need a router. The most straightforward and simplest is a
broadband router like those from Linksys and Dlink. With wired routers
now in the $50.00 range new this is the sensible bet.

You could configure one of the PC's to act as a router and use it
to share the connection. If your cable modem is connected via USB then
the existing ethernet connections will be fine. If not you would need an
additional ethernet card. You will also need either a crossover cable or
a small switch. This will possibly be slightly less expensive but will
also increase the complexity.

Finally are you certain that the router you bought doesn't work and that
you aren't simply configuring it incorrectly?

"Secret Squirrel" wrote in message
news:Xns95D3A8F75D07secretsquirrel69yaho@216.196.9 7.131...
> "ME Hill" wrote in
> news:RaGdnSUZJJZtKkTcRVn-hg@buckeye-express.com:
>
>> I have two new Dells I'd like to have share a cable internet
>> connection. They're pretty much side by side. I don't really care
>> about file sharing - if I have to, I can either e-mail the file or use
>> my little memory stick - so I really just need the lowest cost option
>> to have both connected to the internet (with independent navigation,
>> of course).
>>
>> I bought a 4-port router off e-bay that doesn't work (my first bad buy
>> on ebay out of like 100) and now wonder if there isn't just some kind
>> of splitter or something I could get instead? Or connect the two
>> computers with something other than an RJ 45 (each comp only has one
>> port of this type) and have one computer access the internet through
>> the other. If that's possbile, what other connection cable would work
>> between the two systems?
>>
>> Ugh - whoever said ignorance is bliss wasn't necessarly right!!
>>
>> Thanks for any guidance!
>>
>> Mary
>>
>>
>>
>
> You'll need a router. The most straightforward and simplest is a
> broadband router like those from Linksys and Dlink. With wired routers
> now in the $50.00 range new this is the sensible bet.
>
> You could configure one of the PC's to act as a router and use it
> to share the connection. If your cable modem is connected via USB then
> the existing ethernet connections will be fine. If not you would need an
> additional ethernet card. You will also need either a crossover cable or
> a small switch. This will possibly be slightly less expensive but will
> also increase the complexity.
>
> Finally are you certain that the router you bought doesn't work and that
> you aren't simply configuring it incorrectly?

Well, I was on the phone with Siemen's tech support for about an hour, so
it's probably not working Basically, I could get it to power on, but no
data ever transferred and the internet connection wouldn't work. If I
unplugged the cable modem from the router and plugged it into either of the
computers, it worked fine - just nothing through the router. I have the
worst luck.

I've got my finger ready to click & buy this
http://www.techonweb.com/products/pr...=A05983&src=PG

What do you think?

Thanks for your help! It's nice to have people with knowledge available to
call on!

"ME Hill" wrote in
news:nI-dnZt3_5tOI0TcRVn-pg@buckeye-express.com:

>
> "Secret Squirrel" wrote in message
> news:Xns95D3A8F75D07secretsquirrel69yaho@216.196.9 7.131...
>> "ME Hill" wrote in
>> news:RaGdnSUZJJZtKkTcRVn-hg@buckeye-express.com:
>>
>>> I have two new Dells I'd like to have share a cable internet
>>> connection. They're pretty much side by side. I don't really care
>>> about file sharing - if I have to, I can either e-mail the file or
>>> use my little memory stick - so I really just need the lowest cost
>>> option to have both connected to the internet (with independent
>>> navigation, of course).
>>>
>>> I bought a 4-port router off e-bay that doesn't work (my first bad
>>> buy on ebay out of like 100) and now wonder if there isn't just some
>>> kind of splitter or something I could get instead? Or connect the
>>> two computers with something other than an RJ 45 (each comp only has
>>> one port of this type) and have one computer access the internet
>>> through the other. If that's possbile, what other connection cable
>>> would work between the two systems?
>>>
>>> Ugh - whoever said ignorance is bliss wasn't necessarly right!!
>>>
>>> Thanks for any guidance!
>>>
>>> Mary
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>> You'll need a router. The most straightforward and simplest is a
>> broadband router like those from Linksys and Dlink. With wired
>> routers now in the $50.00 range new this is the sensible bet.
>>
>> You could configure one of the PC's to act as a router and use it
>> to share the connection. If your cable modem is connected via USB
>> then the existing ethernet connections will be fine. If not you would
>> need an additional ethernet card. You will also need either a
>> crossover cable or a small switch. This will possibly be slightly
>> less expensive but will also increase the complexity.
>>
>> Finally are you certain that the router you bought doesn't work and
>> that you aren't simply configuring it incorrectly?
>
> Well, I was on the phone with Siemen's tech support for about an hour,
> so it's probably not working Basically, I could get it to power
> on, but no data ever transferred and the internet connection wouldn't
> work. If I unplugged the cable modem from the router and plugged it
> into either of the computers, it worked fine - just nothing through
> the router. I have the worst luck.
>
> I've got my finger ready to click & buy this
> http://www.techonweb.com/products/pr...=A05983&src=PG
>
> What do you think?
>
> Thanks for your help! It's nice to have people with knowledge
> available to call on!
>
>
>

That would work, but it assumes you're capable of building a simple
network and sharing the internet connection without instructions. I dont
mean to seem condescending, but I'm not sure thats the case. You'll also
still need either a crossover cable or a small switch. By the time you
purchase these you're getting close to the cost of an inexpensive
router.

You can get something like the netgear router at the top of this page

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....&type=category

for ~$40.00 which is probably less than the cost of the switch + the
USB/Ethernet adapter and is a pre-rolled solution complete with
instructions. I'd suggest this as the preferred route.