I want to network two PC's together, running Windows 98. I currently have a cable modem. I want to be able to share resources from both computers (i.e. backup devices, fax/modem, HD's), play games, and share the internet connection. I've been looking at the Linksys Cable/DSL 4-port router, but I have one question that I haven't been able to find a difinitive answer on. With the 4-port switches on the Cable/DSL router, will that allow me to do the networking I mentioned above in addition to sharing my cable modem? Or will I need to connect my PC's together using a hub, then hook up my hub to a router? I've read things that suggest the Linksys Cable/DSL router will allow me to network my PC's together and do the things I mentioned above, along with sharing my internet connection. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Wassup Pup? The Linksys can do all that & it's easy to set up too. You don't have to buy a hub since the switch is basically just a faster type of hub. Both of your PCs will plug into the back of the router in ports 1-4 & the cable coming from the cable modem will plug into a WAN port on the back of the router so the PCs can share the connection.

If your on cable you might think about a firewall. An old 486, 16MB RAM, 2 3COM ISA NIC's, a cheap 1MB vid card, floppy, keyboard makes an awesome firewall. You get the disk creator from coyotolinux, assign host name, and different IRQ's for each NIC, then create a boot disk based on LRP. Write protect the disk and boot it up. Cable from modem to firewall, firewall to hub and you have a nifty and safe little haven, virtually invisible on the Internet. Free share files all day long. OK call it a router not a firewall if you like, it works for me.

You generally don't need a firewall with a linksys router because you'll have NAT (imaginary IPs). But you can't do a network game with both and an internet group, only one DMZ computer allowed but your bum is open to network viruses and hackers. With a firewall like netgear fr314, mine awaiting an rma, you can tell realnetworks spyware and x10 cam ads where to go. No cookies, no java script, no persistant hacker, no active x, no kidding. Set some of or all your 65535 ports to a nonexistant computer so hackers just timeout and waste their time. Nah Nah Nah Nah Naaaaah Blllthhhhhh :)