I have 4 PCs - 3 with Win98, and 1 Me. Currently we have a cable modem with a hub and 3 accounts with the cable internet provider for 3 computers. The fourth computer was added recently. They all have NICs in them. Is there a more cheaper way for some or all the computers to access the internet and to be able to talk to each other? If so, can you please explain in detail. Let me know if you need more information. Thanks. - Lorenzo

You need to choose one PC to be the master in it you will need to two Nic's one Nic to be setup with the cable modem plugged into it and accepting DHCP addressing the other to be a fixed IP address eg. 192.168.0.100 then setup this PC with internet sharing easy if you read the help files in win98 also go and find some free pop3 software and set it up to deliver your mail to the other three PC's (very easy to do). the other three pc's to be setup with there nic's to accept DHCP connect them all together on the hub (fixed IP nic on the master pc) and boot the master first and connect to your ISP boot the others and check to see if they have picked up an IP address from the master use WINIPCFG or at a dos box ipconfig try your browser making sure in internet settings that connect through LAN is ticked just read the halp files in win98 on internet shareing ...its very easy Andy

In the long run, you may be better off buying a Netgear Cable Modem router or a LinkSys Cable modem router. This will only require you to pay for 1 IP address to access the internet. All you have to do on the router side is configure it to give IP addresses to the 4 computers while at the same time receiving an IP address from your cable modem service provider. You will also need to buy a 10/100 Hub (or Switch) in order to connect the computers to the Cable modem router. The switch is better than a hub because it will prevent collisions from occuring among the 4 computers, but it is also more expensive. So your connection layout would be something like this: ISP Cable modem Device Cable modem router Hub/Switch 4 computers

diagram should look like this: ISP -> Cable modem Device -> router -> Hub/switch -> 4 computers In this matter you do NOT have to rely on the master computer to be on all the time before the other computers can connect to the internet. You also don't have to deal with a single computer being a bottle neck in processing your access to the internet.

Thanks guys for those detailed solutions - I will think about which one I wish to implement. Thanks again. - Lorenzo

So, I currently have a cable modem, a hub (5 port 10/100 ethernet) and 4 computers. Now, I need to buy another hub/switch? Is that only necessary to avoid conflicts - or is it completely necessary if I only want to purchase 1 IP address from my provider? If so, how would I exactly go about configuring the Router? Thanks again for any suggestions you could offer. - Lorenzo

You're fine with your hub, however, you need a nat device such as a Router. If you buy one of them cheapo cable modem routers, it's usually set up automatically or has easy to follow instructions. Set all the PCs to use DHCP and the router will assign private IP addresses. - dak -