Can someone assist me please.
Not sure yet if it is legal to do so yet with the provider, but have been looking into using a router with my cable modem.
I should say I know very little about all this so I might be talking rubbish!

This is where you come in; I have looked around and they seem to range from well below £100 to well over and more, I would obviously prefer the cheaper end of the scale.

I can forward links to what I have found if you understand the technical jargon.

If some of you out there are already using one, in the UK, and it was reasonably cheap can you direct me to where you got it, please.

Having a router does mean you can have PC's accessing the internet at different locations at the same time?

If anyone can help it would be appreciated.

Cheers

rab

I'don't see why you couldn't use a router with your isp- all you would have to do is register the hardware address of the router with your isp- much like you had to when your pc was first connected upto boradband.

There are however options- the cheapest option is to not use a router at all but use one pc is as the master pc and have every other pc connected to that- so you would need 2x the number of pcs you have+1 network cards- however the problem with this method is that you would need to keep the master pc on at alltimes you wanted to search the web with any of the pcs.

I personally went for a router- i eventually got the smc barricade router(http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=34406)
It was between that or the linksys (http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=37488)

I went for the barricade because it had a built in print server- so you could share a printer between to machines as well- linksys didn't have this option.

Installation was really simple- i had a slight problem because i hadn't initally reconfigured my software firewalls on both pcs correctly so i couldn't detect the other pc on the network but once i sorted that out it was fine no problems as yet- other than having to ocassionally reset the router.

I would say ebuer are the cheapest to go for- not sure of other people have better router recommendations- there is the wireless option which saves on alot of wiring but be prepared to pay well over £100 for a wireless router and wireless network cards.

Thanks Nimbles VERY much APPRECIATED just the sort of answer I was looking for.
I had come across the routers you mentioned so its good to get your input.
Will see if anyone else has any views if not will go along with your comments.

Cheers

rab

Linksys, D-Link, Net Gear all make good routers. Get an inexpensive 4 port for what you want to do. I have a D-Link DI-704 ANd depending on where the other PC's are a good amount of CAT 5 cable. If the PC's are all over the house and you don't want to run wire then you'll have to go wireless 802.11b but its much more expensive.

DEpending on your ISP you may need to clone the MAC Address of your current NIC card, or call support and change it. Cloning is easier and done thru the routers Control Interface.

- Hoss

Hi Hoss

I would probably look into cloning as you mentioned, dont really want to approach my provider.
Can the provider know your using a router, or is it a case it has to be physically seen.
Is it easy to clone the address through the routers interface, or is it going to be complicated for a layman like me.

Cheers

rab

I also use the D-Link DI-704 and it works great. I had to have professional installers run cat5 from the upstairs down to the basement. If you are in an apartment or house where the computers aren't to far apart then it will be no trouble for you to run the cat5 wire yourself. I don't know how it is in the uk but here in the us it is perfectly legal. I have a cable modem and the cable company wouldn't install the cat5 but they gave me several companies who would. When I went to the cable companies site they actually detected the router and asked if I would like to register it and the site set it up for me. I have been using this config for about a year and it hasn't failed me yet (other than the occasional fluke with the cable service being down).

Rab, the router will be the device sitting between your home network
and the internet. This will be assigned an IP address by your ISP.
What is on your side is upto you, bearing in mind your bandwidth will
split between the devices accessing the internet at any one time.

I think MAC address cloning is needed if you must use the modem supplied
by your ISP with most routers offering a user friendly web interface in order
to do this.

I doubt your cable ISP will deem using a router as illegal. I will be using
ADSL for my connection soon with most ISP's encouraging it.

HTH

Matt.