Hey, question.

[conuly]

I'm pretty sure this isn't possible, but the less I have to buy, the better.

Is it at all possible to have one computer hooked up directly to the modem, and the other hooked up through the router?

Edit: All right, all right, all right. Unless you can guarantee me a new modem if it blows up the old one, I'm forgetting this insane idea.

Comments

[neotino911.livejournal.com]

Nope. The router has to be hooked up directly to the modem and the computers have to be hooked up to the router.

[malantha.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure why you're asking that. Is there a reason you can't have both computers hooked up through the router?

[bridgetester.livejournal.com]

Only if the modem has two input ports, which I doubt. (Hmm. Actually, well, you said it had usb and ethernet. You could try doing both interfaces at once, but I really don't think it would work. Plus it might do something bad to the modem...)

Typical setup (which I have) is modem <- router < 2 computers

[ladytalon.livejournal.com]

If you're buying a router, the cost is only for an extra cable, which is rather trivial. It is possible to have one computer attached to the cable modem and the other to the connected computer, but you need two ethernet cards and one computer has to be on constantly. The cost of routers has dropped significantly, so you're probably better off buying a router and an extra ethernet cable. With rebates, you should spend around $30 at the most.

[conuly]

*rolls her eyes*

Y'see, we have no ethernet cable. We have no wireless connection. We do, however, have three USB cords. The modem *can* use an ethernet cable, but it *usually* uses a USB cord.

The router came with a single ethernet cord, presumably to hook the modem up to it. If I could hook the modem up to the router with the ethernet cord, and also to a computer with the USB cord, I'd only have to buy one ethernet cord/wireless card.

And this would make me happy.

[conuly]

1. It does have two input ports! That's where I got the idea! Yay!
2. Oh, it could make modem go kablooey? :(
3. Yeah, I know, but anything I can do to save myself a buck, right?

[griphus.livejournal.com]

I'll answer that with a question: are you asking because you want to hook the main computer up through USB and the laptop through ethernet?

[conuly]

Danke.

[conuly]

What are you, psychic? Except switch the computers around.

[conuly]

Drat.

[bridgetester.livejournal.com]

2. Think of two cars or two trains trying to use the same road.
3. I can pretty much guarantee you that an ethernet cord is cheaper than a modem.

[griphus.livejournal.com]

how far away is the laptop going to be hanging around from the router?

[conuly]

Ouch. All right, all right, I'll forget this harebrained scheme.

[conuly]

*does some quick spot measurements*

I have no friggin' idea. Have I ever mentioned my complete lack of spatial awareness?

[griphus.livejournal.com]

just a general idea: an adjacent room, across the house, on another floor, etc.?

[ladytalon.livejournal.com]

I also lack any instinct that tells me distances. I can do millimeters when it's something small, vaguely, and anything else is beyond me. Gets embarrassing sometimes.

By the way, this post would have made more sense if I read my friends-list chronologically instead of backwards, but eh. It is a lot cheaper to buy a couple ethernet cords than a wireless card, though. It's funny to me in a way, too, because we have so many ethernet cords lying around the place that it strikes me as unusual to have to go out and buy one. Benefit of living with a nutso computer nerd. =D

[conuly]

It's the next room over, and the cord would essentiall be going through the wall (or, through the sliding doors which are kept shut all the time because I will kill anybody who opens them, they're a pain to shut again)

[conuly]

I can always take any spare ethernet cords you have no mor euse fore hint hint hinty hinty beg.

[conuly]

This is what happens when I can't see the text appear as I type. Sowwee.

[griphus.livejournal.com]

well, in that case the ethernet cable shouldn't run you too much. I know pretty much fuck-all about them (see my post to bridgetester above), but if you're not going to be using the router for the more advanced parts of it (port filtering, etc. etc.), you can just get an ethernet splitter and save yourself the cost of a router (you'd just have to get cables then). I could be wrong, though...

[conuly]

No idea what you're talking about here.

[griphus.livejournal.com]

does said nutso computer nerd make his own ethernet cables? a real geek always crimps his own ;)

[ladytalon.livejournal.com]

We do have envelopes if you want one, but our spares aren't the really long ones; Derek says they're short-ish.

[ladytalon.livejournal.com]

Hehehe, too lazy to do that.

[conuly]

Drat.