Multiple computers with internet in house

Question

I have SuddenLink cable and they also provde internet services. Can you have two computers in your home and have the internet and be able to get on at the same time?

Answer 1

You need a wireless network router to connect.

Answer 2

Yes,

Depending on the hardware that SuddenLink provides for you.

If they provide you with a multi-port, wireless modem/router, you will have nothing else to buy.  Just plug in the wires/make the wireless connection.

Otherwise you may have to buy a wireless access point so your laptops can share the internet wirelessly.  Possibly a mulit port network switch for the wired connections.

So short answer:  Yes.  You can share the internet.

Long answer: How you do that depends on what you get from SuddenLink.  I would advise you to talk with the CSR and let them know what you want to do.  There may be a choice of hardware that they can provide.

Answer 3

Hello John..

I'm JohnS.

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Short Answer: YES, use what is called a "Router" and it will ensure that each computer can request and recieve information over the internet.

Looong Answer:

What you are describing is a need to be able to differentiate the interent requests from 2 computers and ensure each one recieves the information it requested. To do this, each computer must have a unique address so when it requests something, there is a way to mark that request for XXXX computer.

Unfortunately  your internet provider only assigns 1 unique address to each cable modem..this is to conserve addresses amongst all their customers.  

If your internet provider "SuddenLink" only gives you 1 address.. how can 2 computers use that address? How does SuddenLink know computer 1 wants www.google.com and Computer 2 wants www.yahoo.com?

Answer: By using what is called a "router" to step in between the internet provider and the 2 other computers and sort things out.

A "router" does this by assigning the 2 computers connected to it "internal" addresses which only it knows.  It then takes on the 1 public address that your internet provider assigned the modem and uses THAT for all the inernet requests.  

When a request is made the router quickly compares the destination address (www.yahoo.com) to its list of internal addresses...anything that doesn't exist internally on Computer1 or Computer2 is passed onto SuddenLink's cable modem. As it does this, it uses a feature called "Network address translation" or NAT to make sure it knows who the request came from..so when the requested information comes back.. it knows who to give it to.  This all usually takes place in less then 99 millionths of a second.

Essentially it acts a a gatekeeper.. separating the internal network of 2 computer from the external network called "the world wide web"

Routers have come down in cost.  A wireless router can be bought for as little as $39-49.  There are also non-wireless routers, but they essentially cost the same so you might as well buy a wireless router just in case you buy a laptop down the road or a friend brings their laptop over.

Some internet providers even have Wireless Routers built right into the modem.. saving you $49,  I've seen this mostly on DSL modems.. not really on cable modems like you have. But you might ask your SuddenLink if they have such a device.

Here is a quick diagram of how it would be setup

[modem]-->{Router}<--PC1&PC2

As you can see both the Modem and the computers are plugged into the router, that is how it acts as a "gateway" for internet access.

Answer 4

Yes, you need to get a router though.  If you can run wires to both computers you can get a cheap wired router, otherwise get a slightly more expensive wireless one and (if it's a desktop or doesn't have one built-in) a USB wireless adapter for the computer.

I like the Belkin 54G router because it's the cheapest name-brand one I've found ($39 at most office stores) and I know it works (I've installed 3 of them) but the brand is really up to you.  Only one of those Belkins has gone bad, and Belkin replaced it for free.  I don't know if all routers include this but the Belkin one comes with a setup CD that guides you through plugging everything in correctly and automatically programs the router to work as well as guiding you through enabling security.

Answer 5

the easiest solution is to use a router to share the connection to all the computers in your home.