Router or hub

Kawanua the Samurai · 25-09-2003, 02:31 AM

Now this is becoming irritating. My new computer is STILL internetless. The problem is that my old comeputer has removable harddrives. therefore my sister has one and my otehr sister. Now I don't want my sisters touching my comp when they want to connect to the net. therefore it has to be on the older computer. But The problem is if they want to switch hdd's while I'm on my computer I have to wait for them to switch before I have to use the net again.

Its either

a) let them use my 40gig hdd and partition it so each have an equal amount yet 1 hdd is used.

or

b) have a Router and let the cable internet be split up by the router. Then that allows me to have the router in my room, and also allows me to access the net with out turning the other computer on. But the problem is I only have 2 computers in the house, I can have 3. I have an old P133 in my spare room. though it has no PCI slots only old ISA slots so I don't really know if theres a point unless I built a cheap 700 dollar computer for my sister. Otherwise it is only 2 computers.

So my question is. Should I bother getting a router or should I just let them use my old 40gig hdd which will most likely cause arguements on what goes where.

GuGuEaTeR · 25-09-2003, 04:11 AM

go out driving around the town, pick up a few thrown out computers, install a NIC, and connect them all to your main computer. hey, it costed you some fuel and few NIC cards. that's a lot less than buying whole new computers. which you could, buying secondary computers from auctions, 333Mhz at around $25 US each.

i'd rather you get a router than to split the drive into three. router is the answer. it is very much better than split up harddrive.

(at first i thought the title would ask 'which is better; router or hub' but i was mistaken...)

kasper · 25-09-2003, 04:15 AM

well don't exactly understand the issue or the possible solutions..
but
you could go router....
or
depending on your OS... whatever that is... would be cheaper IMO becasue all you would have to do.. is right.. partition.. i mean... what do you need 40 gigs for.. anyhow.. plus you could be the administrator of the computer.. and set limits for how much the sisters use space wise on the hdd.. building a network and setting it up can be a bit frustrating... if you don't know what your doing.. and so long as whoever owns that house don't mind the cables running all over the house.. (unless your going wireless)...also... if you really wanted...just have the cable modem going into your computer via USB (assuming it could) or ethernet.. and since you only have two computers... crossover cable the two together.. (even though a good length of corssover is more expenssive than the router- unless you make it yourself... a big pain in the butt though... so either way)

hopefully this helped....

Kawanua the Samurai · 25-09-2003, 05:48 AM

I wasn't going to split the harddrive. Just make it so C: has 17gig and D: has 17 gig so each sister can place their own songs and ---- in their section. I want to go router but it costs to much and its all coming out of my salary. I'm only 16

Nulani · 25-09-2003, 12:55 PM

Pick up an outdated machine and install Linux: With the right packages that will become an excellent cheap router.

raynebc · 25-09-2003, 01:44 PM

I got a high end computer built new from parts for about $325 from Pricewatch.com. I don't see why you need to spend $700 for a cheap computer.

GuGuEaTeR · 26-09-2003, 04:23 AM

i could spend $30 AUS for a P233. that is enough for a router or even a firewall. you know, that's cheap enough to be worth it.

nakey · 26-09-2003, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kawanua the Samurai
But the problem is I only have 2 computers in the house, I can have 3. I have an old P133 in my spare room. though it has no PCI slots only old ISA slots so I don't really know if theres a point unless I built a cheap 700 dollar computer for my sister. Otherwise it is only 2 computers.

Hmmm...

Unless your Internet connection is 10Mbit/sec or faster, you've got a Router in the form of that P133

Set it up using some Linux or BSD distro that lets it act as a router (FreeBSD and OpenBSD is recomended for security, but i don't know if it's possible to make a Free/Open/NetBSD distro into a router...) and put 2 ISA NICs in it. one NIC goes to the Cable/ADSL modem, and the other goes into a hub or switch (pref a switch).

done

Course, a proper multi-port router (which is essentially a Router combined with a Switch) is better, but they're expensive...

BTW, your P133 mobo is weird... Only having ISA slots... I've got 486 boards with PCI slots, and my Pentium 60 had PCI slots

Quote:

Originally posted by raynebc
I don't see why you need to spend $700 for a cheap computer.

It's called the "We live in Australia so not only is it more expenisve overall, there's a currency difference. which means that US$350 = ~$700... Oh, and Pricewatch is useless for us Aussies" reason

GuGu, i reckon a P233 is overkill for a Router. Especially considering that the routers i play with (Cisco 2500 and 2600 series routers) use slow and ancient Motorolla MC68030s. It roughly has the same power as some of the early Apple Mac LCIIs and Amiga 3000s....

GuGuEaTeR · 26-09-2003, 11:51 AM

Quote:

GuGu, i reckon a P233 is overkill for a Router. Especially considering that the routers i play with (Cisco 2500 and 2600 series routers) use slow and ancient Motorolla MC68030s. It roughly has the same power as some of the early Apple Mac LCIIs and Amiga 3000s....

exactly; and it costs less than routers they sell at Dick Smiths. install that OpenBSD, make it a router AND a firewall, connect it up properly and you have one of the most secure networks you can possibly get. and it's cheaper too. just a little work, but no harm in learning

that and really really old Macs are rare in my region. all i can find at minimum power is 486DX... and those are actually free!

pick them up from side of the road when everyone else is chucking their really old computers away.

much, much better than partitioning a harddrive for sharing.

Kawanua the Samurai · 26-09-2003, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nakey

BTW, your P133 mobo is weird... Only having ISA slots... I've got 486 boards with PCI slots, and my Pentium 60 had PCI slots

Reason being this was a 486 before. It was like extremely old old old.

nakey · 27-09-2003, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by GuGuEaTeR
exactly; and it costs less than routers they sell at Dick Smiths. install that OpenBSD, make it a router AND a firewall, connect it up properly and you have one of the most secure networks you can possibly get. and it's cheaper too. just a little work, but no harm in learning

And running a BSD distro, especially OpenBSD, would be much more secure than running Linux

Quote:

Originally posted by GuGuEaTeR
that and really really old Macs are rare in my region. all i can find at minimum power is 486DX... and those are actually free! pick them up from side of the road when everyone else is chucking their really old computers away.

much, much better than partitioning a harddrive for sharing.

We have a mac classic II lying around somewhere out back that we picked up from Hard rubbish... Probably next to the Apple IIc, IBM PC model 5150 (this, my friends, is the original, the genuine, IBM PC) and Commodore 64, again found in hard rubbish....

a 486DX33 is fine for BSD. Most we found was a Celeron 366 in a BabyAT form factor board.

Quote:

Originally posted by Kawanua the Samurai
Reason being this was a 486 before. It was like extremely old old old.

Now unless you have some sort of adaptor, or you're not actually running a genuine Intel Pentium 133 (or one if it's Socket 5/7 compeditors), that's not supposed to work...

the 486 is a Socket 1, 2 or 3. Socket 3 is the most common because it supports the most processors

The Pentium 133 is either Socket 5 or 7. Socket 7 is the most common because the fastest Socket 5 processor is the P133 and the fastest Socket 7 processor is the Intel Pentium 233MMX (anything faster using the Socket 7 Pinout is actually a Super Socket 7)

There is not only a pincount difference, Sockets 1-4 are Pin Grid array (PGA) while Sockets 5-8 are Staggered Pin Grid Array (SPGA).

Kawanua the Samurai · 30-09-2003, 08:55 PM

---- it I'm just getting a hub. It's easier. And if my sisters don't want cable then I'll get it myself then watch them burn when my parents yell at em

GuGuEaTeR · 01-10-2003, 02:31 AM

actually, i once bought a 32-port switch for $23, and came with that package was 10 PS games and driving wheels with pedals along it. it was worth it.

look around auctions near you; they are second hand, and most won't work, but if they do you just got one of the best deals in town. if you're good at auctions...

nakey · 01-10-2003, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kawanua the Samurai
---- it I'm just getting a hub. It's easier. And if my sisters don't want cable then I'll get it myself then watch them burn when my parents yell at em

I dont' think Cable modem-hub should work.

It might, but you'll have to see the manual.

It really should be Modem - router - Switch/hub

kasper · 06-10-2003, 05:46 AM

plus... if you have cable internet.. and use the old ISA machine for a router.. make sure that you get NICs that are Full-Duplex.. i know.. trust me.. all that means is if it can transmit dat back and forth at the same time.. or just one at a time...
i had this half duplex one for a while.. it worked... yeah... but was 0uding cable at a friends house.. and it just didn't go fast enough
man it sucked
big time