[thechat] 2 Mac questions

Martin martin at easyweb.co.uk
Sun Oct 5 13:11:01 CDT 2003


On Sun, 5 Oct 2003, Kevin Stevens wrote:

> > As mentioned before, your best, least hassle bet is still a hub and
> > router combo. Cost you about 80 quid in PC World; maybe less.
>
> they can afford the hardware, I'll set it up properly. PC world though, pah!
> I have Tottenham Court Road a mere bus ride away, I shun your PC World :)

If that's easier to get to, sure. Experience suggests that it's not
significantly cheaper, though.

> Am I correct in thinking the router works like a modem with a hub, so
> the router connects to the Net rather than having a gateway machine?

The router acts the same as a gateway machine, translating between
multiple internal IP addresses and a single outward-facing IP, but is
a) More configurable (the Linksys machines have a nice web interface)
b) DHCP to the max
c) More firewall-tastic
d) Therefore generally plug-and-playable

The router itself doesn't provide the multiple physical ethernet ports,
but does all the clever stuff so a dumb hub will work fine.

You can get routers with hubs (or better, switches) incorporated - Linksys
make a fine 4 port switch version that iirc Dave MacLean has.

They also do a router & Wireless Access Point combo.

Cheers
Martin

-- 
"Names, once they are in common use, quickly
 become mere sounds, their etymology being
 buried, like so many of the earth's marvels,
 beneath the dust of habit." - Salman Rushdie


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