Can I use a switch instead of a router?

[JRW160]

I have a router here at the old house that runs through a switch into my room with the Xbox and computer running off the switch. The router is not mine though. I am moving this weekend, and I want to know if I can use the switch coming straight off the cable modem to run to everything else? I plan on setting up a wireless network in the near future, so I would like to avoid buying a wired router if possible.

 

[sigmend]

You cant just plug a swich (or hub) in and hope it works.

You have 3 options (that I can think of)
1) You can buy moar IPs from your ISP for each thing on the network.
or
2) Build a dedicated linux box to do your NAT (and DHCP if you dont want static)
or
3) buy a router

3 being the easiest and prolly the cheapest

 

[RavinDJ]

Originally posted by JRW160
I have a router here at the old house that runs through a switch into my room with the Xbox and computer running off the switch. The router is not mine though. I am moving this weekend, and I want to know if I can use the switch coming straight off the cable modem to run to everything else? I plan on setting up a wireless network in the near future, so I would like to avoid buying a wired router if possible.

If you're asking that question, then you're probably not very knowledgable (which is good, for the purposes of answering your question).

That means you most likely have 1 IP given to you, which means you need to have NAT (don't worry if you don't know what that means). In turn, you need to have a router that provides NAT (any router will do that).

Solution: get a cheap, $10 or $20 after rebate, router!

 

[JRW160]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I will just buy a router... I don't know, this may be a good excuse to go with the wireless network sooner. It is just so expensive for the 802.11g stuff right now.


I just dont know that much about networking. I actually have a degree in computer engineering. We didn't really cover networking in school though.