two machines having the same ip addresss

[vinayagam]

hai guys,
is it possible to assign two machines with same ip address. actually i my house, i have internet connection, and i have about 3 systems, and my internet service provider is giving only single ip address to connect to net . the ip address is 203.124.215.15. I can connect to the internet only through this ip address. but i want all the machines to be connected to the internet. I tried with proxy servers ie.,wingate like that, but once i install the client software of my isp , my proxy doesnt work.
for this reason i have contacted my isp (internet service provider) to give me one more ip address, but they said that they cannot do it.
so anybody kindly answer my question, is it possible to assign the same ip address to two different machines in same network. otherwise is there any eqipment to act as an proxy server(hardware material) which can be used inorder to share the internet between my machines

 

[Del]

No, if you have 2 machines with the same IP address, you get an IP conflict. The 2nd will not connect. If you can only get 1 IP address from your ISP, you can use a router.
It will get the IP address and assign IP address, internally, to your computers and will work fine.

 

[JohnWill]

It would help to know what kind of connection your cable modem is making to your system, USB or Ethernet.

If it's Ethernet, the easy way is to buy a $40-50 broadband router, it uses NAT and allows you to have as many machines as you like connected to the Internet, mine is currently allowing seven of them to connect.

If you have USB, you'll have to use ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) on the one that is connected to the modem to allow multiple Internet connections.

 

[contsi]

Go with a router, I belive the host machine has to be on for ICS to work.............

 

[Del]

Sometimes even if you have a USB modem, the ISP will change your modem to an ethernet modem. Won't hurt to call and check if you don't have an ethernet modem already.