Ethernet/comp gurus please chime in

[deadpres]

Recently, I noticed a bad signal at my home and I was receiving up to 1hr late txt msgs and sometimes no calls at all. I just happen to be on the phone with sprint about something and the rep said BTW you are qualified for a free "airave" by samsung from sprint so I said what the heck send it on over. It's apparently a "mini-tower" that grabs a strong signal in your home by using your inet connection. When the package arrives I realize I can't hook it up because I only have one RJ45 connection on my modem. I searched online and found this:

StarTech.com RJ45 Splitter Adapter Cable - RadioShack.com

Will this work? From what I understand it just splits one connection into two..is this correct? One would be plugged in for inet and the other my tower. I'm looking for the cheapest avilable option for TWO RJ45 connections. Not looking to spend a fortune on some HUB or anything else, any help is appreciated

 

[stangin99]

Probably not.

Sounds like it's basically just a cellphone modem. If you try to use a splitter, you can't have two active internet connections on the same line.

So you'll need to get a hub/router.

 

[rotor_powerd]

It might work, but I guarantee you that you will have problems. Just buy a cheap little Linksys router.

 

[deadpres]

I lucked out and was able to talk to "airave" technical support and you guys are right. They are saying I will need a router. Thanks for the help, already found one online in Houston so I'm running out to get it

 

[SciFiHiFi]

If tech support specifically said "router" then follow their advice. However I suspect what you're really looking for is an ethernet switch. They're quite a bit cheaper than a router.

 

[zerocool]

If tech support specifically said "router" then follow their advice. However I suspect what you're really looking for is an ethernet switch. They're quite a bit cheaper than a router.

+1, Just bought one yesterday at Radioshack for $20 to split my Internet between my laptop and my dad's desktop and it works perfectly.

 

[RDJ]

Find out what they suggest and if not too expensive get that. the issue with just going to get one off the shelf is that the company may or may not support it once you get it. Some companies will only support equipment that they sell, that they have specifically tested or they have a partnership with them.

If they don't care which you get get a linksys. I personally NEVER buy this kind of stuff from radio shack it is cheap stuff and may or may not last very long at all. I stick with linksys (you can actually get a pretty decent one for 50 bucks or so) my preferred or DLINK another pretty decent cheaper router.

you need to also verify if you need a router or a switch. All routers do switching but all switches are not routers.

 

[NO-BlkLightning2K]

i don't know of any switch that works as a router. they operate at different levels of the osi.

 

[RDJ]

i don't know of any switch that works as a router. they operate at different levels of the osi.

there are some switches that can do routing on a basic level. but I am not going to get into an argument over it since it is not what this thread is about.

What is routing switch? - A Word Definition From the Webopedia Computer Dictionary yeah it is webopedia but the info is accurate

 

[NO-BlkLightning2K]

there are some switches that can do routing on a basic level. but I am not going to get into an argument over it since it is not what this thread is about.

What is routing switch? - A Word Definition From the Webopedia Computer Dictionary yeah it is webopedia but the info is accurate

i forgot about those.

 

[Boomer v3.8]

i don't know of any switch that works as a router. they operate at different levels of the osi.

The growing trend now is using Layer 3 switches which every port can be routed and switched.

Linksys Broadband/Wireless 'Routers' do route(L3) and switch(L2)
(between the internet WAN link port and the switch access ports+wireless connections)

 

[silverstang23]

They work. My friend has one. The cell connection in his house was very poor. Sprint sent them the same thing you are talking about. Now they get full signal in his house. I don't know about the cheapest way to connect it, but I do know that they work.