Have to reset box when I change PC

[vince]

I have broadband cable through a set top box. Im currently using an ethernet cable to connect to my laptop.

However, we have 3 laptops in the house and when someone else wants to use the internet, we simply just plug the ethernet cable into the other laptop, however we have to reset the set top box before the other laptop can see the internet. Anyone know why?

Thinking of buying a hub, so we can plug all 3 laptops in via ethernet, would all 3 see the internet or not ?

Thanks in advance for any help.
Vince

[jellybaby]

buying a router is the best way forward. u have to reset the box because the mac addresses for each laptop are different, so when the box is reset it registers the new mac address and thus allows access. You could use a program called SMAC to change the mac addresses, so they where all the same, this way you wouldn't have to keep reseting the box

[downquark1]

The box locks on to the MAC address (a unique address in each network card) of the pc it's first connected to. That's why it won't respond to another unless rebooted.

NTL only issue 1 ip address per household so you will need to use a router instead of a hub: http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...subcat_uid=989

[vince]

thanks guys, that clears that up ... was getting really confused.

1) does that still apply if im using USB convertor on 2 of the laptops ?

2) can i buy a wireless router with 10/100 ports, and use it to connect to mine (for wireless) and the other laptops via cable (which dont have wireless) ???

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=59013

[Aragorn]

First off

Originally Posted by vince

1) does that still apply if im using USB convertor on 2 of the laptops ?

2) can i buy a wireless router with 10/100 ports, and use it to connect to mine (for wireless) and the other laptops via cable (which dont have wireless) ???

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=59013

1. Yes - afaik they have a pseudo MAC address.

2. Yes, but I wouldn't go for the one in your link - that is for ADSL users such as BT Broadband. I would suggest something like the Linksys WRT54G - Amazon have it and probably Ebuyer, about £55.

If you do go wireless, please read http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...ad.php?t=16296 for info about securing your wireless network.

HTH

[vince]

Thanks Aragon

any comments on this bundle by dlink? or stick with linksys?

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=64085

[Aragorn]

Originally Posted by vince

Thanks Aragon

any comments on this bundle by dlink? or stick with linksys?

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=64085

All depends what you want to do!

If you want high speed networking BETWEEN you own laptops then 108Mb Wireless is fine, but if you are using it for external traffic via broadband you are always limited by the 750Kb or 1.5Mb limit - ie no point using a sports car for 5 miles and then a donkey for the next 50 miles!

My point being that if none of you local machines talk to each other then an 11Mb wireless is sufficient. I have the BEFW11S4 (http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=51436) and a built in 11Mb card on my laptop which is more than sufficient for browsing.
A BEFW11S4 and Belkin 11Mb PCMCIA card (http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=31051) will only cost about £50!

HTH.

[vince]

You're right, all I want is to share NTL broadband among 3 laptops .. one with wireless pc card .. the others will use cable ports on the router (or they can buy a card if they want).

1) Can you just confirm that the hardware you spec'd above will do that?

2) Does the broadband speed factor in here? If i have 300k broadband and 3 laptops sharing the connection, will the internet access slow down?

Thanks again.

[downquark1]

Originally Posted by vince

2) Does the broadband speed factor in here? If i have 300k broadband and 3 laptops sharing the connection, will the internet access slow down?

Thanks again.

The bandwidth is shared depending how much is being used at the time. If all 3 are downloading they will each get 100k, if one is downloading that one will get 100k and so on.

[vince]

Thanks guys for all the replies!

[downquark1]

Originally Posted by downquark1

The bandwidth is shared depending how much is being used at the time. If all 3 are downloading they will each get 100k, if one is downloading that one will get 100k and so on.

oops that 2nd 100k should be 300 it should read:

The bandwidth is shared depending how much is being used at the time. If all 3 are downloading they will each get 100k, if one is downloading that one will get 300k and so on.

in the short term, until you get a router. You could clone the same mac address on to all of the laptops. This way you would not need to reboot the STB everytime you plug the cable into a different laptop

[Aragorn]

Originally Posted by vince

1) Can you just confirm that the hardware you spec'd above will do that?

Yep, the BEFW11S4 has a four port switch for local wired devices as well as the Wireless.