What's the difference between a hub, a switch, and a router?

1) you can, but I would turn off the DHCP / NAT functionality that probably comes with it - otherwise you'll have two levels of NAT translation which can cause some applications problems.

2) Actually if you put in a wireless router at each remote site, you probably wouldn't need anything else.

Excellent information here! Very helpful. Here's my question. I have a DSL modem with all sorts of features (Firewall, NAT, DMZ, etc) and I've hooked up a Belkin wireless router (with most of those same features) to it so I can share DSL with all of my home PCs. I have a few issues, though.

First, I cannot share files or printers over this network. For some reason, we're all sharing internet, but cannot "see" each other on the network.

Second, which should be set up as the firewall? I seem to have issues with programs like IM and Yahoo where I can connect but can't voice chat or file transfer. Very confusing. Any thoughts/suggestions?

My guess is you have a situation where both of the routers are providing NAT. Only the router connected to your DSL should have NAT enabled ... the other should, essentially, play the role of just a dumb huib or switch. Normally that means turning off it's feature to *provide* DHCP. (How will depend on the specific router.) Then all your machines should see each other just fine.

I have a DSL Internet connection and I want to share that connection between 2 computers. So I connected the Internet to a Unicom 8 port Switch and then I connected my to computers to that switch, but nothing is happening I do not get the internet connection to any of my 2 computers.

Please help me

Thanks Eduardo

Two things: if there's a port labelled "uplink" you might try plugging the DSL connection into that. It's also possible you may need to reboor each machine after connecting it to the switch.

I have a home network with a hub and 2 PCs. My broadband internet provider has setup both IPs to have internet access and both PCs have software firewall and anti-virus stuff. This home network works fine, but when I share a file on one of the PCs, it can be seen by others outside of my home network?! I realize I need to replace the hub with a router, hardware firewall, or switch. But which one and why?

In short: How do I share folders (and printers) across my local network without sharing them to everyone else on the same broadband backbone?

Thanks a Bunch,
David

You'll want a broadband router, because by default it will block the network traffic that is related to Windows network filesharing.

I am attempting to expand my network in my office. We have DSL, then it runs to a netgear router, and then branches off to a hub and/or other PC's. i am attempting to now split one of the connections from a PC past the router (not the other hub) so that I can branch other connections off of it. i have a linksys router that I found around the office, and so I was attempting to use that. I was able to get the internet functioning past the second router, however, I cannot get the PC's past router 2 to connect to PC's past router 1, or past router 1's hub. It also does not work inversely. I have read your previous posts and disabled the DHCP on the secondary router, but that has been to no avail. Would it be simpler for me to just replace the secondary router with a hub (there are only two computers being connected into the hub, and 1 is rarely used, so would be no traffic conflicts) or is there a way to make the second router act the way I want. Thanks

I guess it boils down to how much time you want to spend on it. I'm certain there's a way to get the router to "act dumb", but exactly how, and what features to turn off will depend on the specific router. Might be easier, in the long run, to pick up a cheap hub.

I have cable and two computers one is xp the other is 98, I want to know whether I should get a router or a switch. I want to be able to use the internet on both of them. Thank you