--- Bill Vader <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Hi all,
> I'm finally getting broadband since moving to small
> town, MN. They don't
> offer a second IP address here, so I'll need to get
> a router or switch for
> my little Mac/PC network. What is the advantage of
> a switch over a router
> in a small home network? I know switches cost more,
> but if the thoughput to
> both computers is better it would be worth it to me.
> Thanks, Bill
A router and switch are two different beasts. The
router's job is to direct the data packets to the
computer that requested them while making it look
to the ISP like all requests are coming from only
one computer. The switch is what all your networked
computers plug into to talk to each other. Routers
and switches are often combined in one box. Routers
are also combined with hubs too. A hub is cheaper than
a switch, all packets that go through it are
"broadcast" to all ports, leaving it up to the
computers to pick out which packets are the right
ones.
A switch directs packets from one port straight to
the destination port.
Another advantage a switch has over a hub is "full
duplex". That means data can travel both ways through
each port at the same time if the network adaptors
on both computers also support full duplex. A hub only
does half duplex. When two computers are doing a data
transfer, the data flow has to stop for the
acknowledge
and retransmit (if there was an error) packets
to go the other way.
So since you already have your broadband "modem" which
is most likely a bridge, you need either a seperate
router or a Mac with two network cards and router
software. Then you'd still need to connect a hub or
switch to that Mac.
Look all over your "modem" for the word router. If you
can't tell if it's a bridge or router, hunt up the
specs on the maker's website.
A better solution is a combo router/switch to connect
to your "modem". www.tigerdirect.com has a 3Com one
for $49! It's a four port switch/router with a serial
port for connecting a modem, an ethernet port for
a broadband bridge and a parallel port for a shared
printer. (Printer most likely only works for PCs.
Might be Mac-able using PowerPrint for networks?)
=====
"The earth swarms with inhabitants. Why then should nature,
which is fruitful to an excess here, be so very barren in
the rest of the planets?" Bernard de Fontenelle, 1686
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
My ICQ# 16024947
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