Hub and Router Connection Question

[duner80]

I have Insightbb for my broadband, and they only let you have one IP address for the monthly service. I have a dlink wireless router with several laptops using it via wireless and my desktop using it via wire. I have 2 other desktops that I would like to hook up to the network. All of the desktops will be in one room, a floor above the router. I have one cable coming up through the floor to connect my desktop.

Is it possible just to plug the one cable into a hub, and then plug the other desktops into the hub to network all of them and have internet access? I tried it once and didn't have any luck, so I am not sure it is possible. All help is greatly appreciated.

 

[bil4hire]

You shouldn't have any problem hooking a hub up to that line as long as it is a hub and not a switch (or intelligent hub) and all the computers are set up for DHCP (obtain ip address automatically) from the router.
The only problem you might have is that the computers will be sharing the 10Mbs - 100 Mbs port speed from only one port instead of the full ports bandwidth
Make sure also that you don't have the ip addresses blocked in the router

 

[JohnWill]

Actually, a switch will work fine, I'm not sure why bil4hire states it won't. I have four switches in my network at various points, and all the computers have full connectivity.

 

[duner80]

After about an hour of not being able to connect them at all, trying various cables, plugging them in different ways I remembered that I had an old hub. I got that out and hooked it up and everything was great. But it was only 10mb connection. I think the other hub I have is dead, but I will play with it some more today. Thanks for the help.

 

[JohnWill]

I recommend 10/100 switches, they're dirt cheap, and provide the maximum performance for a wide variety of configurations. There's very few reasons to use a hub nowadays, unless you want to monitor ALL the network traffic from a single location.