Is There Such A Thing As A Y Cable For A Network Cable?

[Mike1988_11]

Hi, I've got a little problem. In our house we have three computers, all hooked up to DSL. The router is downstairs with one computer, and then we have two other computers upstairs in separate rooms. Along with the two upstairs computers, with one of them is an Xbox and with the other a PS2. We use both systems online and it gets old switching the cables back a forth from computer to console, so I was wonndering is there anyway in which I can hook them both up at the same time without getting a new router?

Mike

[davidbrit2]

Just buy a cheap 4 or 5 port switch with an uplink port. They cost a lot less than a full-blown router.

[Mr.FoodMonster]

Yeah, I've got a hub upstairs (My router is downstairs) and I sent one cord up there and stuck it into the hub, so I have 4 ports for upstairs use. Works fine.

[Jorpho]

Since routers and switches are expressly forbidden on my network, I have been contemplating the purchase of a manual RJ45 data switch. They're kind of hard to find, but they do exist. (Their utterly unhackable nature makes them useful in some security applications, apparently.)

[Porkchop]

Since routers and switches are expressly forbidden on my network, I have been contemplating the purchase of a manual RJ45 data switch. They're kind of hard to find, but they do exist. (Their utterly unhackable nature makes them useful in some security applications, apparently.)

The GameStop HD System Selector that cost $24.95 and was talked about a lot here a few months ago would make a good manual RJ45 switch for 3 systems.

[vulcanjedi]

Since routers and switches are expressly forbidden on my network, I have been contemplating the purchase of a manual RJ45 data switch. They're kind of hard to find, but they do exist. (Their utterly unhackable nature makes them useful in some security applications, apparently.)

Funny.

AS I was cleaning up this morning I was just looking at my RJ45 a-b data switch wondering if anybody could possibly use this :)

Trade?

VJ

[Jorpho]

Woo! Sending a PM...

[Sylentwulf]

Wouldn't it be possible to just splice the wires to add another output? I know I've done it with phone wires plenty of times.

I imagine with cat5 you would only be able to use one at a time, but that's what you'll be doing anyways, so it won't KNOW the other cable is plugged in at the same time.

[lurpak]

yeh, you can split the wire into a y, but not a good idea to have both machinces switched on ath the same time, very untidy, I'd definately go with a small hub, you can generaly pick up a 10mb from a flea market for around $5, cheaper than a new cable to split

[Kamino]

mike, answer is NO.
Get a hub. unlike routers and switches, hubs are "dumb" equipment. they basically broadcast the signal to all other ports. Cheap and efficient.

[rbudrick]

Wouldn't it be possible to just splice the wires to add another output? I know I've done it with phone wires plenty of times.

I imagine with cat5 you would only be able to use one at a time, but that's what you'll be doing anyways, so it won't KNOW the other cable is plugged in at the same time.

Answer: NO

If you need to share an internet connection between them you can get a router/switch combo. Linksys makes them. Some have wireless networking capability built in too.

NumSKU Mfg. Part PCC Product Name Price
165585 BEFSR41 EtherFast Cable/DSL Router with 4-Port Switch $52.95
193108 BEFSR81 EtherFast Cable/DSL Router with 8-Port Switch $86.64
421759 WRT54G Wireless-G 4-port Broadband Router (WRT54G) $62.95

These are prices from pcconnection.com

A switch is much better than a hub because then you are not dividing bandwidth, and the results are the same.

-Rob

[Sylentwulf]

As I said, as long as you only put one on at a time, which is what he wants to do.

[Avatard]

Hubs are just spliced wires. Get one. It won't have the horrid signal loss that a ghetto splice will have.

However you will need to run a new cord to your room, or clip off the old head and put on a new one with the new wiring style. it will be a cross connect from the router to the uplink port on the hub. The standard cable you have won't work.

[Flack]

mike, answer is NO.
Get a hub. unlike routers and switches, hubs are "dumb" equipment. they basically broadcast the signal to all other ports. Cheap and efficient.

Define "efficient"! Hubs are very simple, but not very efficient (at least from a network point of view). Think of it this way; imagine every port on the device is a guy, standing in the same room. 8 ports, 8 guys in a room. In a hub, everybody is just yelling all the time. "MESSAGE FOR JOE". "MESSAGE FOR ROB". It's just eight guys in a room, all yelling at the top of their lungs. In a router, you've got eight guys but instead of yelling, they're each passing hand written notes with the person's name on the note. If someone has a message for Bill, they hand him a little note with his name on it. Much more accurate, since the message knows specifically who to go to instead of eight people yelling at the same time (causing collisions).

I do agree with you though, that in this situation a hub would do just fine and without network management tools it would be tough to see a difference in performance. Even the difference between 10mbit and 100mbit is tough to see in normal, day to day networking. Now, when you start moving gigs and gigs of data, yeah you will see a huge performance increase. But checking your e-mail? Not likely. And playing online on a < 1 mbit connection? 10mbit is still 10 times faster than that.