[Steven W.]

get a Linksys cablemodem switch to serve as both a firewall and to plug into your hub (or you can hook into directly, if you still wanted to purchase more NICs for each computer).

[Noslrac]

Man i was too slow, but it does seem like there is a wealth of linksys users.

Noslrac

[SamAdams76]

That Linksys cable router you guys pointed out to me looks like a great piece of equipment. This doesn't replace my cable modem, does it? Does it allow me to connect the other PC and do file-and-print sharing?

Also, AT&T mentioned something about paying an extra $9.95 a month to hook up another computer. I'm assuming that if I provide my own equipment, I can share the one cable connection I am paying for like I did with the dial-up ISP.

[SamAdams76]

The response has been overwhelming. Thanks for all the info. I've narrowed my solution to two possibilities:

1. Get a second NIC for the computer that cable modem is plugged into and run my existing hub off that. Configure the network as before but share the internet connection on the other NIC (which means the computer with the cable modem must be on all the time.

2. Install a DSL/Cable router. Connect the cable modem to that and "clone" the MAC address from my NIC to the router. Connect my two PCs to two of the ports on the router. This way I have a firewall and scalability with my network. I am leaning in this direction.

Somebody told me at work today that with the router, I cannot hook the PCs directly into it. That I must plug my PC's into my existing hub and then plug the hub into the router. Is that correct? If I get the router, it will be the Linksys router that Steve W. linked to in reply #3.