Network question

Quicksilver · #1 01-30-2006, 10:43 PM

My brother inlaw is coming for the week and needs to use my DSL connection. Should he bring his own router? We use Mac's and he has a PC.

#1Would it be better if he brought his own router that probably
has his own settings.

#2 Can he connect to the DSL modem without a router? We don't have
enough connections on my Airport for the cable to his laptop and
I don't want to have to reconfigure the Airport everyday.

Thunder22 · #2 01-30-2006, 10:47 PM

Don't have him bring his router, he'll need to completely reconfigure it to work with your DSL connection.

How about buying a 4 port switch from Compusa, shouldn't be more than $20 or so.

Bavarian · #3 01-30-2006, 10:49 PM

I agree - we just need a switch here.

Thunder22 · #4 01-30-2006, 10:52 PM

http://www.compusa.com/products/prod...02269&pfp=cat3

Quicksilver · #5 01-31-2006, 04:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gresch

Don't have him bring his router, he'll need to completely reconfigure it to work with your DSL connection.

How about buying a 4 port switch from Compusa, shouldn't be more than $20 or so.

And what is the four port switch suppose to accomplish? I'm afraid that my setup dosen't get moved around at all so I have not had the need for these additional devices so i am not familar with them. I want him to get up and running but I dont want him to connect to my router because it will change my settings The last time he was here it took a while to get things back to normal. I just want him to connect directly to the DSL modem and do his thing without him interfering with my setup. Is that possible?

JonK · #6 01-31-2006, 04:59 AM

Yes, You inlaw could
(#2 Can he connect to the DSL modem without a router?)
bypass the Airport.
He will need the Telco DSL installation Software, often available at their website if you cannot find CD, the username, and the password. You could plug your Airport when he is done.

The VPN IPSEC (security measure most of the companies employ) should work either via wireless or wired connection as a client, however, this way he/you could eliminate the possiblity that your Airport is causing the problem.

A switch is a very cheap and good thing to have if you have a multiple number of cables to plug in, I hardly think it could mess up your Airport configuration. Good luck!

Laurence · #7 01-31-2006, 06:33 AM

From what little I know about the Airport, it has two "LAN" connections, an Ethernet one and a USB one.
You should be able to run two PC's at the same time using each of these ports.
There are a couple of potential issues here.....

1. Do you know if the airport is running NAT (Network Address Translation)? In normal situations, DSL modem will run NAT. A quick way to check would be look at the IP address on your MAC (I have no idea how to do this on a MAC). If the address starts with 10.x.x.x or 192.168.x.x then you will be running NAT.

2. Do you run DHCP at the airport (this automatically allocates the IP address to the PC)? Again, your MAC should be able to tell you if the IP address was issues via DHCP.

If the answers to the above are yes, then you should be set to go and be able to run both PC's at the same time (one connected to the Ethernet port, the other to the USB port)

The only other issue you may have may be with you brother inlaws remote access software. If his comapny uses the same private IP adddress range (10.x.x.x and 192.168.x.x) as your router, he may have problems connecting. There is no easy fix to this without changing the IP addressing scheme on the Airport.

Hope this helps!

IFlyX5 · #8 01-31-2006, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quicksilver

And what is the four port switch suppose to accomplish? ..

Barry - The 4-port switch allows you to expand your single LAN port to 4 LAN ports. This way, your brother-in-law can plug his PC right into one of the ports and be on his way.

I bought a Linksys SRX Wireless Router a few weeks ago and it has both wireless (SRX200) and 4-port switch. I have a PowerMac G5 and a Dell 4700 at home. The Mac is connected to the Linksys via wireless Extreme Airport and the Dell 4700 is connected via the Gigabit LAN (wired) or Linksys Wireless USB card. Both can see/share each other's hard drive and an HP printer, and can connect to the Internet without any problems.

Bavarian · #9 01-31-2006, 10:13 AM

Your Airport hopefully has DHCP on - this hands out dynamic IP addresses in your home network to all computers connected wirelessly or not.

Most internet providers only feed you a single IP address for the internet. That's why you need a router - to split that IP up. To the ISP, even if you have 1 or 10 computers, it all looks like just one is connected.

So what I'm saying, and others are too, is that since your Airport only has one LAN hole, by using a switch, you are creating a daisy chain. This way you have expanded your Airport to 5 or more LAN holes. Now your Airport will be able to give out 5 local dynamic IPs.

Get it?

Thunder22 · #10 01-31-2006, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quicksilver

And what is the four port switch suppose to accomplish? I'm afraid that my setup dosen't get moved around at all so I have not had the need for these additional devices so i am not familar with them. I want him to get up and running but I dont want him to connect to my router because it will change my settings The last time he was here it took a while to get things back to normal. I just want him to connect directly to the DSL modem and do his thing without him interfering with my setup. Is that possible?

it gives you more hardwired network ports. He can then just plug in an rj45 cable and be done.

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