Current set-up : 1 pc (with modem for dial-up) connected to the Dlink DES-1008D switch with 3 more pcs connected. I plan on switching to broadband; Is it possible to use the same switch device or have a new router instead? if not, what router should I use? I plan on conneting the 4 PCs directly to the switch/router, but Im not sure if I am on the right track. This will actually be my first time to set up a network and i am not even a techie yet. thanks for any help extended.

A switch alone won't provide you with NAT which you'll need to have multiple computers access the internet from a single WAN IP. A router will not only do that, it will also provide intrusion protection (firewall) and provide DHCP for your LAN if you require it or just want to use it. A good 4 (LAN) port router will do the trick for you nicely. If you find in the future you should need more than 4 connections, you can connect the switch you're presently using to a LAN port on the router (use a crossover cable for that) and plug more clients into the switch.

If you have D-Link DES-1105 5-port switch, you can use either crossover or straight-through CAT5e (I'm using straightthrough with no problems). i_XpUser

Most SOHO routers will use a straight through cable because they're capable of auto MDIX. Perhaps it's habit on my part because I started doing this back before the "newest" feature of switches was an MDIX port that could be switched via a button. However, I still prefer, and recommend, using a crossover whenever connecting any simiilar devices (ie: PC to PC, switch to switch - and keep in mind, a SOHO router is simply a switch with NAT, DHCP and a firewall added on to it) simply because it rules out problems if one of your devices isn't auto MDIX capable.

Curt R I have to agree with you that crossover is best when troubleshooting connection problems involving multiple network devices. Thanks for the head-up. i_XpUser