can you only use broadband on one pc or can you link them together? was told that ntl don't support more pc's

 

The cable modems themself will only talk to one computer at a time. There are loads of ways to get around this but the two most common are configuring internet connection sharing on windows xp or buying a internet/nat/router (recommended) and installing a network card in as many machines as you can find.

 

NTL Cable modems will now register 2 different MAC addresses if you wish to switch between 2 PCs - cycle power to the cable modem after swapping PCs to register the "other" MAC address.

If you want to connect 2 PCs, You can connect one the CM, and use Internet Connection Sharing for the other, but this means the main machine (ie the one directly connected to the CM) must be switched on for the other PCs to use the net, and you will need network cards to connect the two machines together (using a crossover cable) and another network card (or USB port - dependant on the CM being used) to connect the main PC to the CM.
With more than 2 PCs you would really need a hub for this to work.

The better way is to use a CM Router, which you can then connect a number of PCs to. The CM registers the MAC address of the router, which in turn acts as a DHCP server for all of the PCs, and provides NAT translation. By going this route you can access the net from any of the connected PCs without having to have any of the other PCs switched on.

 

I have a linksys router on the ntl cablemodem with 6 pc's connected, works great. Linksys BESFR41 or something like that.

 

My sister has just had a new comuter and she wanted to share the brordband connection so i got a Belkin router from Dabs £50 works a great. plus we can now share files,CDrom/DVDrom/Writers ect,ect. Cant be bad for £50??

Tim.

 

I've just connected my cable modem via the Belkin router.

Not bad for £50

 

How can u share the CDRW.

I have a laptop downstairs and a writer upstairs. Can I write CD's from downstairs?

I have set the CDRW as a share and I can see it downstairs, but not sure how I will write to it.

 

yes you can [1]. you need to install the software/driver that enable you to drag and drop files into the CDRW. i know for roxio CDRW software, you would use DirectCD.


[1] i might be wrong. long time since i use CDRW burning software!

 

Depending on the OS, couldnt you just share the drive across the network?

I do this at home with hard drives, printers and Internal Zip

Si

 

I have set up a share, but I cannot write to it.

 

i work on broadband tech support for business and the official terminology, even with us is that we only support one pc connected to the cable modem...............however we do.

but i dont reckon residential will do that.

easiest way is as mentioned before.........by a simple router plug the CM into it and then all your pc's into that.

 

Please can anyone tell me if there is a cheap bb router that supports VPN?

Cheers

Steve

[Edited by Stevep - 10/10/2002 9:51:48 AM]