difference between routers

[Guest]

I have a small network..2 xp pro and 1 xp home. the Xp home cannot see the
other 2 or connect to the network. I am using a switch. Someone told me
that i should use a router...something about IP addresses. (the pros have
similar ip's the xp home is totally different) What is the difference
between a DSL router and the one i want Dlink DI-704UP Express EtherNetwork
10/100 Mbps 4-Port Broadband Router Plus Print Server? Any thoughts

 

[Guest]

what is the ip address of the pros ? and what is the one on the home ?
the best way to determine that is to go to the command prompt on each
computer and type ipconfig.
note the ip address of all computers
the pros should have an ip address with the aaa.bbb.ccc.XXX
aaa.bbb.ccc should be common for both whereas the XXX value should be
different.
Change the home computer ip address to be aaa.bbb.ccc. and set XXX to be a
value close to the pros ie if pros was 1 and 2 set it to 3.
this should work already...

 

[Scott M.]

You can think of a switch as an "extension cord" for your network. It lets
you add more clients to the same internet connection that is plugged in
further upstream in the same way that an extension cord lets you add more
electrical devices to the same electrical current plugged in further up the
circuit.

A router is a switch (extension cord) but it has more features as well. A
router usually has a DHCP (Dynamic Host Control Protocol) server, which
allows it to assign IP addresses to all the computers connected to it or
further downstream (via switches) so that each machine on the network can be
identified.

Without a router, you have 2 ways to get the computers identified on the
network:

1. You go to each computer on your network and "hard-wire" its IP address
into it (via the TCP/IP properties of your network connection).
2. You go to each computer on your network and choose to "Obtain an IP
address automatically" (via the TCP/IP properties of your network
connection).

Now, with choice number 2 (which is the most common approach for those who
do not have static IP addresses), you will need something that can pass out
IP addresses to those computers who try to obtain them automatically. A
DHCP Server does this and I said earlier, a switch won't have this but most
routers do.

The IP addresses of XP Home machines do not differ in any way from the IP
addresses of XP Pro. machines. It all depends on your networks particular
settings.

Also, many routers have firewalls built into them (known as hardware
firewalls). Because a router is usually connected directly to your Internet
connection (DSL/Cable modem), they are the first device that the broadband
signal hits in your network. This is the most desirable place to have a
firewall.

Anyone who has broadband Internet should most definitely have a router
w/firewall.

Hope this helps.

-Scott

 

[Jack \(MVP\)]

Hi

Regular Home Network needs only one Router.

Since you did not elaborate, I can not guess what is in your current Router (or may be
it is only a modem or a combo).

The only feature in a Cable/DSL Router that might relate to your sharing issue is the
DHCP server.

May be this can Help: http://www.ezlan.net/sharing.html

Jack (MVP-Networking).

 

[Derek]

You can think of a switch as an "extension cord" for your network. It
lets you add more clients to the same internet connection that is plugged
in further upstream in the same way that an extension cord lets you add
more electrical devices to the same electrical current plugged in further
up the circuit.

A router is a switch (extension cord) but it has more features as well. A
router usually has a DHCP (Dynamic Host Control Protocol) server, which
allows it to assign IP addresses to all the computers connected to it or
further downstream (via switches) so that each machine on the network can
be identified.

Without a router, you have 2 ways to get the computers identified on the
network:

1. You go to each computer on your network and "hard-wire" its IP address
into it (via the TCP/IP properties of your network connection).
2. You go to each computer on your network and choose to "Obtain an IP
address automatically" (via the TCP/IP properties of your network
connection).

Now, with choice number 2 (which is the most common approach for those who
do not have static IP addresses), you will need something that can pass
out IP addresses to those computers who try to obtain them automatically.
A DHCP Server does this and I said earlier, a switch won't have this but
most routers do.

The IP addresses of XP Home machines do not differ in any way from the IP
addresses of XP Pro. machines. It all depends on your networks particular
settings.

Also, many routers have firewalls built into them (known as hardware
firewalls). Because a router is usually connected directly to your
Internet connection (DSL/Cable modem), they are the first device that the
broadband signal hits in your network. This is the most desirable place
to have a firewall.

Anyone who has broadband Internet should most definitely have a router
w/firewall.

All Routers (Gateways) are a Hardware Firewall because they all have NAT
capabilities regardless what the Box says at the store. But I warn you, UpnP
is a security risk because it could allow malicious software to open up
ports. So I would recommend a software firewall with outbound protection.
This does not include the built-in XP firewall since it cannot block
outbound traffic nor can a Router.

Then if you have a Wireless Router, you must secure the Router correctly.
You should have the SID disabled, an encryption key to logged on, and maybe
a MAC Restrictions in place. I would also disable the DHCP and assign all
IPs myself to the computers. Also I would change the Gateway Local IP
Address so it would not be the traditional 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1. Since
it is a private network, you could assign any Local IP address you wish.

Derek

 

[Scott M.]

"All Routers (Gateways) are a Hardware Firewall because they all have NAT
capabilities regardless what the Box says at the store. "

This is not what I was referring to when I said that many routers have
firewalls built in. Not ALL routers have NAT (as you say). But even those
that do may not have a firewall built in that looks for specific traffic
both in and outbound on specific ports.

 

[Jack \(MVP\)]

Hi
All the Entry Level Cable/DSL Routers are built to Route the Internet into a small
Network. The NAT Firewall is a buy product of this Routing.
No NAT No Routing - No Routing No NAT
Thus it is fairly safe to say that all Entry Level Cable/DSL Routers have NAT Firewall
On by default.
Internet -Basic protection: http://www.ezlan.net/firewall.html
Cable/DSL Routers, NAT & Ports - http://www.ezlan.net/routers1.html
Jack (MVP-Networking).