DSL Modem Question

**cracked** · October 24th, 2002, 06:57 PM

i have two computers. one dsl modem. i can hook one pc to the modem via usb, and the other via nic card, at the same time. as far as i can tell, it splits the bandwidth between the two pc's. other than that, is there any real disadvantage to doing this?

drew

**DVNT1** · October 24th, 2002, 07:07 PM

I didn't think it would work that way. Can the two computers still communicate with each other that way?

**cracked** · October 24th, 2002, 07:19 PM

no, but they can both access the internet. im not worried about networking, i just want them both to have internet.

drew

**joker_927** · October 24th, 2002, 07:45 PM

I heard the USB doesn't go as fast as NIC, but when only dealing with cable speeds, there should be no difference.

Question: Do both computers have the same IP address?

**cracked** · October 24th, 2002, 07:48 PM

i forgot to check about ip addy. i will have to check later, cant right now, moved the pc's apart, temporarily.

drew

**cracked** · October 25th, 2002, 10:00 AM

yes, both have same ip addy

drew

shahani · October 25th, 2002, 10:04 AM

Better way is to do it is to split using a router. These are cheap nowadays and bandwidth is not split. Added advantage both PCs are networked to each other.

**SpookyEddy** · October 25th, 2002, 10:14 AM

and bandwidth is not split.

Surely even if you add a router you still have to share the bandwidth of the DSL line

I wouldn't think you loose any bandwidth with your current setup, however adding a router has some benefits;

1) You can use all ethernet & ditch that USB connection.

2) An added layer of firewalling.

3) NAT (atleast on some models).

4) Some routers have a built in switch so you can network you machines.

Regards

eddy

shahani · October 25th, 2002, 10:18 AM

That was my understanding but Road Runner Support told me that is not the case with a cable connection. I tried downloading very large files simultaneously in both pcs and they downloaded at the same high speed as if only one PC is connected.

**SpookyEddy** · October 25th, 2002, 10:22 AM

Interesting, no idea how adding a router can magically increase the bandwidth of your connection. Anyway I still agree that the router is the better option.

**DVNT1** · October 25th, 2002, 10:56 AM

and bandwidth is not split.

I simply don't believe it. Look at how router works, it still connects to the cable modem the same way as any other computer would. How can it "increase your bandwidth"? Both have a network interface, both request data in the same manner.

If it was a cable-modem-router combination then maybe because of the way cable median transmissions work.

Another clarification, the bandwidth isn't reduced to each client of the router all the time. The client gets as much bandwidth as possible based on the network's actual network usage at the time the data is requested.