Best way to link >4 PCs with Linksys router, cable modem?

[DaveH]

Hi,

I'm happily using @home, an RCA 105 cable modem, and the linksys router. I want to add some extra PCs to the home lan, and would like to avoid software kludges if possible...

I'm wondering if the best way to do this might be to use a small switch and send 2 different IP addresses to each of 2 linksys routers--that should give me up to 8, no?

Alternatively, I could run a hub/swtich off of one of the linksys ports and use a software solution for a smaller group of the PCS...

Any help or related experiences most welcome.

I'm wondering if I can add a hub/sitch

[monty]

Just plug a switch or hub into the uplink port of the router. Here's my setup:

cable modem (with two IP addresses) plugged into uplink port of a 5-port switch

Linksys Cable/DSL router plugged into port 2 of 5-port switch

NIC #1 of Linux game server computer plugged into port 1 of 5-port switch

two Windows computers plugged into Cable/DSL router

5-port 10base-T hub plugged into uplink port of the router

old Mac clone (with Asante FriendlyNet AAUI to 10base-T adapter) and a Hawking print server plugged into 5-port hub (these two things are 10base-T half-duplex, so they don't need another switch)

NIC #2 of Linux game server computer plugged into Cable/DSL router

router set to NOT send internet connection to the server's (IP 192.168.0.4) NIC #2; makes certain the server gets its internet connection from the switch, not the router

NIC #1 of Linux server gets its own real IP address

Cable/DSL router gets the other real IP address

the two Windows computers and the Macintosh get their internet connection from the router


[This message has been edited by monty (edited 04-26-2000).]

[DaveH]

Thanks for your reply, Monty!

I didn't realize that you could set the linksys to let IP addresses "run through" to another machine...seems like a nice idea...

I wonder if I could get a second linksys, and attach it to the uplink port of the first, letting a second IP address run through to it? That should give me 8 routed, swtiched ports without the need for another hub/switch...intersting possibilities.

BTW, I'm thinking of running at least 6, perhaps 8 fast PCs all with 10/100 NICS.

[monty]

When you say "second linksys," what do you mean? Another Cable/DSL router? You only need one router. Just plug a switch or hub into the uplink port of the router.

With my setup, I have two IP addresses. One computer gets its own IP; the router gets the other; the rest of my computers get their internet from the router.

[DaveH]

Again, thanks.

Let's see...then then there would be no functional difference between adding a hub/switch and adding a second router?

A related question: would the linksys act as a DHCP server for ALL the ports on the switch that were attached to its uplink port? That would be neat, but it seems implausible to me that it would do this...this is why I thought of the need for a second linksys router.

What I DON'T want to do if I can avoid it is have a setup where one PC must act as the server for group of other PCs, as in your configuration...these proposed solutions were an attempt to avoid this.

Apologies in advance if I've missed or misunderstood something you said...does my request make sense?

[monty]

My "server" is a game server, not an internet server.

Just because the Linksys router only has four ports doesn't mean you can only use 4 computers. You can use DHCP for up to 253 computers through the router!

DO NOT GET ANOTHER ROUTER! Just plug a switch or hub into the uplink port.

[DaveH]

Very good Monty,

I'll plug a switch I'm getting shortly into the uplink port. Sounds like that will be plenty. Thanks again.

These linksys devices are really wonderful.

Dave

[jeckhout]

On the Linksys I think Port 1 and the Uplink port are shared so you can only use one or the other. Little tip might save you some frustration later on.

Originally posted by DaveH:
Very good Monty,

I'll plug a switch I'm getting shortly into the uplink port. Sounds like that will be plenty. Thanks again.

These linksys devices are really wonderful.

Dave

[DaveH]

Thanks jeckhout--didn't know that. I'll remember it.