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Ethernet Connections


Purhonen

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Simple (I hope) question: I have two laptops near a single ethernet wall connection. I would like to have BOTH laptops connected via Ethernet to the Internet AT THE SAME TIME. Are there Ethernet splitters (just like the telephone line -- RJ-11 -- splitters)? If there are no Ethernet splitters, then what are my options? Can a Linksys wireless router (WRTG-54G) act as a "splitter" or "bridge"? Steve

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Simple (I hope) question: I have two laptops near a single ethernet wall connection. I would like to have BOTH laptops connected via Ethernet to the Internet AT THE SAME TIME. Are there Ethernet splitters (just like the telephone line -- RJ-11 -- splitters)? If there are no Ethernet splitters, then what are my options? Can a Linksys wireless router (WRTG-54G) act as a "splitter" or "bridge"? Steve
Steve, if you want an ethernet splitter, you can get one here:http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat_...5&sku=37133A wireless router (which is a better option in my opinion) will allow multiple devices to connect to the internet. You do not need a splitter or bridge. A simple router will do just fine.
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Hello,The device you are looking for is called an Ethernet switch. The most basic models consist of a small box with several (five or eight most commonly) Ethernet ports on it, and a power connector. You plug straight-through Ethernet cables from the devices you wish to connect to the Ethernet switch, then connect one of the Ethernet ports on the switch to the existing Ethernet jack (which goes to your residential gateway, another Ethernet switch, et cetera)One of the Ethernet ports on the switch may be reserved for use as the uplink port. If that is the case, make sure this is where the cable to the wall-mounted Ethernet jack is connected. On newer Ethernet switches, though, any port can be used as the uplink port and you do not have to press a button to enable uplink mode.You can typically find five-port 10/100Mbps Ethernet switches starting around $15.00USD and five-port 10/100/1000Mbps switches starting around $30.00USD from online stores or computer superstores.Regards,Aryeh Goretsky

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Tushman, thanks for the link; I've bookmarked it. I checked some other forums a while ago and inferred from several postings that a "simple" splitter like this would, for some reason I could not discern, work. So let me get this straight: with the splitter you linked me to I will be able to SIMULTANEOUSLY be connected to TWO laptops to the Internet via my ONE Ethernet wall outlet. True? Thanks again, Steve

Steve, if you want an ethernet splitter, you can get one here:http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat_...5&sku=37133A wireless router (which is a better option in my opinion) will allow multiple devices to connect to the internet. You do not need a splitter or bridge. A simple router will do just fine.
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Network cable has 8 conductors but uses only 4. I interpret that "splitter" as just a method of using the 4 unused condutors as another cable. As the link mentions, you need one at each end of the cable.For the sake of argument, let's say that pins 1-4 are the "normal" conductors. The splitter takes pins 1-4 from one jack and switches them over to pins 5-8 for the existing cable run through the wall. The splitter at the other end undoes that switchover.You don't really say where your wall connection goes. Does it go to an existing router? If so, 2 of those items will work. If it goes directly to your modem, you'll need a router.Kevin

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Agree with Aryeh ---you can use an ethernet switch.
You can, but if its an Internet connection you want to "split," a router is much easier to use. Even for a LAN, having a router makes life easier. Of course, today, many DSL modems come with a router built in, so a switch would do the trick. Edited by lewmur
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Daveydoom, I scanned the manual for my Linksys WRTG-54 wireless router and could find no description of how to do what I'm trying to do. Let me explain. The way I understand it once the router is connected via wire to my wall T-1 connection I should be able to use the "out" Ethernet ports (there are four of them) to connect to a PC. In this case I want to connect to TWO PCs simultaneously, so I use two of the router's Ethernet ports to connect each PC and they BOTH should now have an Internet connection. Question: Does the router need to be powered up for this to work? Or, without power can it act as sort of a "mechanical pass-through" (bridge) simply splitting the T-1 signal so each PC is connected to the Internet. Question: Must I, at any time before attempting to do this, open the router's configuration page (enter 192.168.1.1 in browser address) and make any configuration changes? If so, what settings? (For example: Disable the wireless function?) I hope I've made my queries clear. Regards, Steve

Yes, they can both connect to the wireless router and be online at the same time ;) .Do you have the manual for the router to set it up properly?
Tushman, I ordered the splitter you linked me to. I'll let you know if it works as I expect it to when it arrives. Thanks again, Steve
Steve, if you want an ethernet splitter, you can get one here:http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat_...5&sku=37133A wireless router (which is a better option in my opinion) will allow multiple devices to connect to the internet. You do not need a splitter or bridge. A simple router will do just fine.
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RichNRockville

As the device says:This 2-port passive splitter is a handy item when you need another network connection but don’t have the time or the money to add another cable drop. Simply plug one device to your work area network port and another unit to the corresponding patch panel port. Now you can run two network devices over the same network cable. Sold individually, this item must be used in pairs for each installation, one on each end of the cable.You must use them in PAIRS. Placing one of these at the ethernet jack on the wall will not work.YMMV Rich

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Question: Does the router need to be powered up for this to work?
Yes.
Question: Must I, at any time before attempting to do this, open the router's configuration page (enter 192.168.1.1 in browser address) and make any configuration changes? If so, what settings? (For example: Disable the wireless function?)
You should disable wireless if you're not using it. You also ensure that DHCP is enabled (it probably is by deafult). Other than that you should be good to go ;) .
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Power up the router, attach up to four computers and they can all be on independent of each other to surf.If you need more than 4 ports, you attach a hub/switch to one of the four ports.I don't have a T1 line but most everyone has on normal broadband has a modem with exactly one ethernet port. That's where we attach the router. (I'm using a WRT54G for over 4 years). I have up to 6 computers online, some wired and some wireless and I turn them on and shut them off independent of any others.To turn the wireless off, put 192.168.1.1 into the address bar of either computer and turn off the SSID signal.

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Okay guys, I received the Ethernet splitter that Tushman recommended (and kindly provided a link to) but it does NOT work as I expected. Here's the email I submitted to CablesToGo.com (where I purchased the splitter) explaining my problem:"I ordered this splitter so I could connect two PCs simultaneously to a single wall (T-1) Ethernet connection. But I have found that only the "Cable A" port on the splitter works. Why won't the other ("Cable B") port work? If I try only one connection at a time: Cable A port works fine; but Cable B port does not work -- even if it's the only one connected. Have I purchased the wrong type of connector? Is it not possible to simultaneously connect two PCs using only one Ethernet connection?" However, after reading the various replies to my posts I'm beginning to think I may be in over my head as far as understanding Ethernet networking in general and its terms specifically. Am I correct in thinking that there is no way to SIMULTANEOUSLY connect two PCs (BOTH getting an active Internet connection) to a single Ethernet connection? Will only a "switch" work; and here I mean a switch that I would physically flip to get the connection from one PC to the other (sort of like a KVM switch). Would this "switch" be essentially the same as a "bridge"? Finally, it may help if I describe my Internet connection setup. I live in a 40 unit condo which has two T-1 lines from the local phone company: one to provide Internet connectivity, and, the other for telephones. The T-1 for the Internet connects to two NAT routers that splits the signal down for each condo unit. From the NAT routers the wiring goes directly to each unit ending up in a utility box which again splits the signal as necessary for the wall outlets in the various rooms with an Ethernet wall connector (RJ-45 female). I hope this helps you all understand my problem. I'm going to have to send the splitter back unless I find out the magic key to make it work as I want it to. Thanks, Steve

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symbol <---------> is cat 5e ethernet cable

													  {<-------------> computer A wall outlet <------->switch or router  													  {<--------------> computer B

The switch is NOT a flip switch. It looks very similar to a router. The ethernet will go from the wall unit to the port by itself on the switch. Computers A and B will use ethernet to one of the 4 ports together on the back of the unit.http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c...d=7442633028B34

Edited by zlim
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Steve,I'm sorry that the splitter that I linked to above is not working for you as expected. Until RichNRockville pointed it out in his response, I did know that they had to be used in pairs. Had I known that you own a router from the onset, I would have recommended that you go with a switch as it is the most quick and efficient solution. I thought you mentioned the Linksys router as a general inquiry as something you were interested in buying. In the future, it would help us all if you were to describe your current situation (including all the hardware that's already in place) as to eliminate any confusion.Now back to the task at hand. The most cost effective solution is to buy a splitter as mentioned previously and using a regular ethernet cable, plug one end into the 'uplink' port on the switch and other end into one of the 4 available ports on the Linksys router. It does not matter which one. There are many retailers that carry network switches. Personally I like to shop at New Egg for my computer needs for their competitive prices and good customer service. Here's a Linksys model for $22 with free ground shipping.http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16833124005

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Simple (I hope) question: I have two laptops near a single ethernet wall connection. I would like to have BOTH laptops connected via Ethernet to the Internet AT THE SAME TIME. Are there Ethernet splitters (just like the telephone line -- RJ-11 -- splitters)? If there are no Ethernet splitters, then what are my options? Can a Linksys wireless router (WRTG-54G) act as a "splitter" or "bridge"? Steve
I think the problem you are facing is that no one knows what that "wall outlet" is. Are you in an office where the "wall outlet" connects to a LAN run by an administrator? Or is it a "home" system where the tech has installed a "wall outlet" to connect to an Internet Providers modem? Or, is it, as you posted in a later post, a true "T1" connection?To give you information on how to connect to a "wall outlet," we really need to know what is on the other side of the "wall." Edited by lewmur
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  • 1 month later...

LATE UPDATE: Found out what I actually needed was an "Ethernet bridge" -- I got one and it works great. Also discovered my Linksys WRT54G router is bad, this is why it could not act as an Ethernet bridge as several contributors suggested. Thank you all for your assistance and patience. Regards, Steve

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Daveydoom, I scanned the manual for my Linksys WRTG-54 wireless router and could find no description of how to do what I'm trying to do. Let me explain. The way I understand it once the router is connected via wire to my wall T-1 connection I should be able to use the "out" Ethernet ports (there are four of them) to connect to a PC. In this case I want to connect to TWO PCs simultaneously, so I use two of the router's Ethernet ports to connect each PC and they BOTH should now have an Internet connection. Question: Does the router need to be powered up for this to work? Or, without power can it act as sort of a "mechanical pass-through" (bridge) simply splitting the T-1 signal so each PC is connected to the Internet. Question: Must I, at any time before attempting to do this, open the router's configuration page (enter 192.168.1.1 in browser address) and make any configuration changes? If so, what settings? (For example: Disable the wireless function?) I hope I've made my queries clear.
Steve, the Linksys will not act as a mechanical splitter. The routing function requires that the device be turned on. There are actually two Ethernet interfaces on the router. One connects to your T1 line and the other connects to an internal network switch, which contains 4 Ethernet ports. The router uses software to act as a traffic cop for Ethernet packets. The routing software is usually an internal kernel or operating system feature. By default you should not need to do anything in the router configuration other than setting up the type of connection to your ISP; i.e., making sure the WAN Ethernet connection is set to DSL/Cable/T1, etc. The network switch side should by default set to give out IP addresses to your local network using DHCP. Just plug in a PC and it should automatically get all the gateway, DNS, and routing details from the router.
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