Hi I am getting cable internet soon i currently have dsl. I will need a router. I currently have a 5 port switch but i wonder if i can just get a single port router and go into the switch. will this be better or worse than a 8 port router. has anyone had both dsl and cable? do they like one better than the other? thank you

Please don't waste the money on one of those little router things, unless you have more than three computers to hook up, as most cable ISPs give you three IP addresses. If so, go with a good brand like D-link. but if it is only for one computer it is really not worth the money as they do not really protect you against the "outside internet world". My suggestion is to stick w/ the switch, it is a better investment for 1-3 pcs.

I disagree with the above post. Most cable ISP's do not support static IP addressing(supplying unchanging IP addresses) as falconx stated above. The reason for this is because the bandwidth on each node is shared with your neighbors. Instead, most of the ISP's only support DHCP which discourages the use of servers on the network since the IP address changes frequently. If someone on your node were to operate a server they could possibly use up most of the bandwidth and leave very little for everyone else. Of course, that's not to say your cable ISP does not support static IP addressing, you will have to check. I'm willing to bet that unless you set up a business account they will not. If your ISP does supply static IP addresses the setup you mentioned above will work fine. If they don't and you are required to use DHCP, you are likely to run into IP conflicts which could most easily be solved by using a router with enough ports for your network. I also disagree with the statement that routers do not really protect you against the "outside internet world". Routers with built-in NAT (network address translation) actually do a admirable job of acting as a firewall to help keep hackers out. Of course, nothing is fool proof when it comes to security, but using a router with NAT along with a software firewall such as Zone Alarm will provide very good security protection.

i have about 4 or 5 comps to hook up ? should i get a 8 port router or one port and go into switch?

======================================================================================== I've been network administrator for a fortune 500 company in and for the state of Arizona for over five years now and have been asked this question many times. My answer is: Yes to a router ONLY if its for reasons of firewalling your network. Otherwise, stick with the switch as a peer to peer setup and the only address your cable provider will deal with using DHCP will be that of the bridge connection through your switch tha XP can automatically setup for you. borelli34

Home routers typically have built in 4 or 8 port hubs/switches. Alot of DSL/broadband ISP's do charge for extra address's and one of these routers will only aquire 1 address from the ISP. Home routers start at $49 so price should not be an issue. Buy one and you cant go wrong.