Setting up a network connection

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Guest

I would like to set up a network at my office on 4 computers. All computers
presently have dsl internet connection. A dsl modem is connected to an 8
port switch and each office is wired to allow internet connection to a
computer using a cable from the wall outlet to a computer. My question is
which network connection would be best to set up all machines have windowsXP
home edition and OfficeXP.
Hope I asked the question correctly and any help would be appreciated.
Mike
 
It is not clear exactly what your asking. Are you setting up an internal
network only. Are all the computers supposed to have internet connection ??

If both, I would replace the switch with a router/switch. Then connect the
DSL modem to the router switch and each of the computers to the router.

This will allow each computer access to the internet as well as provide for
an internal network assuming the router is used as the DHCP server for the
internal network. It also provides some level of security since the router
provides effectively a firewall.
 
Jon
First thanks for the reply.....
I guess this may sound novice like but what is the difference between a
switch and a router switch..

Mick
 
A switch is a smart hub and all it does is pass network packets to the
correct machine. With a switch or a hub you'd need an individual external IP
address for every PC connected to it. Each pc would be vulnerable to
security issues as they'd be connected directly to the net.
A router presents and needs only a single IP address to the internet. It is
much more secure and smarter than hubs/switches and it's a natural wall
between your network and www. There's 2 sides to it, the external/WAN side
and the internal/LAN side. Routers usually route network traffic between LAN
(using Network Address Translation (NAT)) and the internet making sure that
each pc has its own conversation with the destination address.
Each LAN machine has its own LAN IP address and routers usually incorporate
a DHCP server to assign these addresses to each pc.
A switch/hub is often incorporated into a router so that you don't have to
buy that extra hardware but if you need more sockets than the router/switch
provides you can plug extra switch/hubs into a router.
 
Rather than a router/switch it's probably better to buy a firewall/switch.
Routers and firewalls perform very similar functions nowadays (so you'd
probably be ok with just a router/switch) but firewalls seem to offer more
configurable options regarding security.
You'll need to consider which features you think your office will need, you
may need some VPN support for example (so outside users can log on to
internal network). Many router/firewall/switch combos offer this as
standard.
 
I suspect that the device you describe as an 8 port switch is actually a NAT
router. If the device is only a switch, then your ISP is providing you with
4 public IPs and charging you accordingly. On one of the XP machines, click
Start/Run cmd ENTER.

ipconfig ENTER

If the listed IP address is a private address (10.x.x.x, 172.16-31.x.x,
192.168.x.x), then you already have a router.

Doug Sherman
MCSE Win2k/NT4.0, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP
 
Claire

Thank you for taking the time to explain it to me so that I could
understand......
 

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