Thank you for providing the modem number of the modem
http://broadband.motorola.com/consumers/products/SB5120/downloads/SB5120_User_Guide.pdf
"You can use your high-speed, upgradeable cable modem to connect one
or more
computers in your home or business to the Internet. You can connect:
Two computers; one to the USB port and one to the Ethernet port"
This is how you'd do it.
cable wire ----- SB5120 ----- USB ------------------- to computer next
to the modem
----- Ethernet cable -------- to computer 40 feet away
From the manual:
"The USB connection requires special USB driver software that is supplied
on the SURFboard Cable Modem CD-ROM."
That's how you get the computer which connects to the SB5120, to get
a working network.
You can get an Ethernet cable for the other computer for about $10.
(If you buy one locally, they'll charge a fortune for it. Locally,
all I get for $10 is a 10 foot cable.)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812189038
The thing about using the equipment you've got, and not going wireless,
is not going through the pain of setting up the wireless.
I have one computer in another room, and run a long Ethernet wire to
connect it up. According to this, you can use an Ethernet cable with
RJ-45 connectors on the end, for a distance of 100 meters (300 feet).
http://www.homenethelp.com/web/explain/maximum-cable-length.asp
One thing I've noticed, on the ends of my new cables, is the "release"
plastic thing is hard to work with your fingers. I took a hobby knife,
and cut away the "hood" over the release, so it would release
more easily. If you don't do that, and the computer is in an awkward
situation, you may have to pull it out from the wall to work on it.
You don't want to be tugging on the cable, if the release hasn't
released yet. Experiment, plugging your new cable, into something
where it's easy to see what you're doing. If the Ethernet connector
on the equipment is surrounded by a plastic lip, it can be damn hard
to get that cable out again. I one case, I had to position a piece of
metal, to press on the release while I worked on it. I couldn't get
my fingers near enough to work it.
*******
If you have your heart set on using a router, they come in two forms.
You can get all-in-one boxes, with DOCSIS cable modem, wired and wireless
router, all in the same box. That means, fewer network boxes in your
room.
Routers are also available separately.
The advantage of a separate router, is generally the documentation and
user interface (web browser) can be better. The company can't sell
their router, unless people like it. With the all-in-one boxes, generally
those are rented or shipped to customers by ISPs, and only the ISP has
to be impressed with the box for it to sell. The customer doesn't
get a say in it, in that case. I have a product of that type here,
and it kinda sucks. I put my own router after it, and ran it bridged,
so I could have a better interface for setting up the router.
So if you want to buy a router, go to the manufacturer web site and
download the router user manual. If it's hard to read, then you know
what you'll be facing when it shows up.
The USB interface on your Motorola modem probably won't be the best.
You may get annoyed enough with it, to go out and buy your router.
But for the $10 for a cable, it might be worthwhile to give it a
try first, and see if it's good enough. It's all a question of
who will sell you a cable for a reasonable price.
The least networking box I bought, it cost more for the cables,
than for the networking box! It's pathetic. Silicon is cheaper
than wires.
Paul
