Ethernet Switches

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

Displaying my ignorance . . . .

I have one ethernet cable connection coming out of the wall. AFAIK, I can get multiple internet addresses along that cable. I don't want to hassle with Internet connection sharing. Will an internet switch like this (http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=34&scid=31&prid=149) do what I want, or do I have to grit my teeth and configure ICS? (Or does anyone sell a manual switch? I just don't want to have to dive behind my desk and unplug/replug cables all the time.)

[Cho Da]

Don't guess as whether you can get multiple IP addresses from the cable. My cable ISP charges extra per month for them. each computer you connect MUST have its own IP. If you can only get one, you need a router (http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=34&scid=29&prid=20).

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

But, if I can (and I have reason to think this is the case), is a switch what I want?

[Cho Da]

I would think for a home set up a hub (http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=34&scid=31&prid=148) would suffice. Unless you are running something on your network that is saturating your ethernet, you don't need a switch. To use as an internet gateway, though, I would still reccommend the router.

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

More to the point, if I used a switch, the two local computers couldn't see each other. :duh: