Here's the scenario: I have a cable modem. The cable modem is connected to the Netgear FS605 ethernet switch by an RJ45 cable. Two computers (desktop running ME/laptop running XP Home) are connected to the ethernet switch by RJ45 cables. I do not...nor was it my intention... have both computers access the internet at the same time. The problem: When switching between computers to access the internet I have to reset (unplug) the power source to the cable modem. Where am I going wrong> or am I expecting the netgear switch to do something it's not intended to do. Thanks for your help.

>> am I expecting the netgear switch to do something it's not intended to do << In a word; Yes. Connecting a modem directly to a switch will not give you shared access. You need a router between the modem and switch to do that. What you are trying to do is share an internet connection, even though you may only be using the Internet on one computer at a time, it is still a shared connection. What is happening is that first computer is getting an IP address allocated by your ISP. When trying to connect to the internet via the second computer it cannot get an IP address becasue it has already been allocated to the first computer. No Network Address Translation which is provided by the router. Resetting the modem releases the IP address and the next computer to request internet access gets the IP address from you ISP. What you may try is to go to a command prompt and run ipconfig /release on the fist computer and then try connecting on the second computer. This may or may not work. Stuart

Stuart, Thanks for your quick and easily understood reply. I guess I'll be looking for a router now :(

Yes, you need a router, they are coming down in price all the time. AS you already have a switch a single port router will do. Will be slightly cheaper. Just plug the router into the switch and follow the setup instructions. You may have problems getting one without a modem already built in but make sure you get one that has a cable modem and not an DSL modem. They are slightly different. Stuart