Hi - I'm about to buy a new desktop computer, but plan to use my existing one as well from time to time in the same area.
But I only have one incoming cable from the router in the relevant room.
I would prefer not having to keep on moving the cable between the two computers
What is the easist way of having both computers linked in, with an easy switchover? I doubt I would ever want to have both online at the same time.
Many thanks
Local hub? - they are cheap as chips these days
Andrew
Cheap switch eg TP-LINK TL-SF1005D 5 Port 10/100Mbps Desktop Switch, Google it.
Allan
Probably even cheaper if you search for Ethernet Switch on Amazon or Ebay and buy the cheapest. You will also need two patch-cables. The existing Ethernet cable plugs into the switch then you use Ethernet patch cables to connect each of the computers to the switch. You can use both computers simultaneously and can use the network to copy files between them.
router
NT
... and you can share your printer(s) between the two PCs without juggling cables. And use each PC to back-up the user data of the other. And log in from one PC to t'other, thus avoiding cluttering your desktop with two keyboards, mice and screens.
Two "cable economisers" (assuming you aren't running gigabit).
A couple of couplers
And four patch cables:
And at least one more free port on your router/modem/switch.
Wozzat 20 quid? Think a 5 port switch for between £5 and £10 is an awful lot simpler and cheaper... B-)
A switch is the obvious answer, but an alternative is that if one of the machines has two ethernet ports then connect the other machine and the incoming cable to that, and then bridge the interfaces in the network control panel.
By the tone of your posting, it seems you're not in the habit of routinely transferring files between different computers on your LAN, just after easy access to the internet.
On that basis, a cheap 5 port 10/100 Mps ethernet switch will be your best solution (along with a couple of 2 or 3 metre ethernet patch cords).
If the new desktop computer only raises the PC count to two and the old one only has a fast ethernet (100Mbps) LAN port, this solution will nicely fit your requirements and more (I'll leave it to others to explain the "and more" bit).
How many ethernet ports does the router have?
Or get a KVM switch to allow one mouse, keyboard and screen to be shared and alternated between the two PCs
One of those network extenders or a network switcher which extends the address range too. I could never make it work the way you porpose with the second one hanging dead on a plug, Too much load I'd imagine. Brian
acutuially you CAN send TWO sets of 100MPS ethernet down a single cable..but its an awful hack...
So go for the Gigabit version of the switch. With this, the OP can look at using Network-attached servers (NAS)for storage and backup, printers with a LAN interface, etc. without worrying about the bandwidth left in the switch for another computer to be using the relatively slow Internet connection. Even if the current connections to the switch are only 100Mbps max, the Gbps switch will future-proof the installation - I speak from experience...
The OP will need the internet router configuring to do network address translation and, possibly DHCP, but that shouldn't be a problem, assuming he does have a router as part of his network connection.
just buy a weensy switch, or make one computer a bridge with a second ethernet card...a 4 port switch is peanuts to buyy
-- TP link 100Mps at 6 quid and a bit from 'Amazin'
Ineptocracy
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Thanks for the replies - all are copied out to study and decide on once the new computer arrives. CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!
The simplest and In My Experience is a small gigabit switch. I expect your router is gigabit anyway but a gigabit switch is backwards compatible and can have 10/100/1000 Kb devices plugged in and happily chatting away.
Just done the same thing in my sons bedroom where I had only installed a single ethernet socket but with the advent of "smart" TV, HI-Fi with "internet radio" and wanting to plug a laptop in, just utilised an old 5 port Netgear switch.
Got to add one to the front room too as PVR, and various games consoles mean the 2 sockets originally fitted aren't enough. A switch is literally plug+go no technical knowledge or ability required.
:)
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