What's the difference between a Hub, a Switch and a Router?

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Your ISP is probably only allowing you two IP addresses on your connection. The quickest solution would be to replace the hub with a router.

i have in my home two macine p4 and i have internet connection in one of thiem and i want to link the two machine with us to make ICS
how i can do this??

You can use ICS, but really a router is MUCH simpler and not very expensive. This article would be a start: http://ask-leo.com/how_should_i_set_up_my_home_network.html

So, do hubs have IP addresses assigned to them like switches and routers?

No they do not. (And not all switches do either.)

I want to connect a pc and a laptop/pc together to the internet what would be best a hub, switch or router.

The speed is 1meg and windows xp. will the computers share the speed like 512k each or will it remain 1meg and what about dual connectors what do they do

thanks for any replys

A router. The speed will depend on what you are doing, but it will not be "split in half", it'll be based on what traffic is happening on your network. And I have no idea what dual connectors you might be refering to.

Ok I understand the difference I think, my question to this and it might be a seperate issue. When setting up A home network from a cable modem. I bought a wireless router with 4 ports attached. I want to connect

1) laptop wireless
2) computer (cat 5 wired)
3) Computer (cat 5 wired)

Would I need to buy a hub as well?

Nope...sounds like you have everything you need in your one router.

I have a leftover switch that I have placed at the end of a single cat 5 line going to the other end of my house. Essentially I am trying to use it as a spliter so I can put two computers at that end of a single cat 5 run. There is a router on the other end of the house that connects to 3 other computers. Will the switch slow down the entire network or just the two computers that I connect directly to it and would I be better off putting the switch right below the router in and running new cat five to accomadate all the computers.

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