Using Several PC's With Telewest Cable Modem

A colleague has asked if it is possible to connect a router to his
Telewest cable modem via the Ethernet port and share the connection
amongst several PC's.

I have no experience of cable but I am sure I have read in this group
that people are doing this. Can anybody confirm this is possible please?

Assuming it is possible I imagine the router should be set up to obtain
an IP address automatically which the cable modem would supply to it?

He is considering a combined ADSL Modem/Router/WAP so he has the option
to switch his BB to ADSL at some time. If he does this and connects the
Telewest Modem to one of the network ports and turns off/doesn't
connect the 'phone line cable will it effectively work just as a
router/modem or do the routing functions only work on the 'phone line
connection? I am a bit wary about this last suggestion.

Many thanks.

--
Jeff Gaines - Damerham Hampshire UK
Using XanaNews 1.17.5.7

"Jeff Gaines" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> A colleague has asked if it is possible to connect a router to his
> Telewest cable modem via the Ethernet port and share the connection
> amongst several PC's.
>
> I have no experience of cable but I am sure I have read in this group
> that people are doing this. Can anybody confirm this is possible please?

Yep, no problem.

> Assuming it is possible I imagine the router should be set up to obtain
> an IP address automatically which the cable modem would supply to it?

Actually, no, but it doesn't make a difference. (A cable modem is a bridge
so a DHCP request goes onto the cable network.)

> He is considering a combined ADSL Modem/Router/WAP so he has the option
> to switch his BB to ADSL at some time.
[snip]
> do the routing functions only work on the 'phone line
> connection?

Yes, so your colleague should purchase a router which has an Ethernet WAN
port (that you connect to the modem). These are usually described as
"Cable/DSL routers".

If he decides to switch to ADSL, then the simplest option is to replace the
router with an ADSL modem/router/AP box. Another is to get an ADSL
modem/router and connect it to a LAN port of the old router, and disable the
old router's DHCP server (the routing capabilities of the old router are not
used - it's effectively an AP plus a switch).

Alex

On 10 Aug 2005 10:53:38 GMT, "Jeff Gaines"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
>A colleague has asked if it is possible to connect a router to his
>Telewest cable modem via the Ethernet port and share the connection
>amongst several PC's.
>

>I have no experience of cable but I am sure I have read in this group
>that people are doing this. Can anybody confirm this is possible please?
>


Yes, perfectly possible, and it's exactly what I do.


>Assuming it is possible I imagine the router should be set up to obtain
>an IP address automatically which the cable modem would supply to it?
>

Yes, if you have DHCP enabled on your router (should be on by default)

>He is considering a combined ADSL Modem/Router/WAP so he has the option
>to switch his BB to ADSL at some time. If he does this and connects the
>Telewest Modem to one of the network ports and turns off/doesn't
>connect the 'phone line cable will it effectively work just as a
>router/modem or do the routing functions only work on the 'phone line
>connection? I am a bit wary about this last suggestion.


Not sure what you're asking. The routing should work whatever you do.




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"Alex Fraser" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Jeff Gaines" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > A colleague has asked if it is possible to connect a router to his
> > Telewest cable modem via the Ethernet port and share the connection
> > amongst several PC's.
[snip]
> > Assuming it is possible I imagine the router should be set up to obtain
> > an IP address automatically which the cable modem would supply to it?
>
> Actually, no, but it doesn't make a difference. (A cable modem is a
> bridge so a DHCP request goes onto the cable network.)

Sorry, that wasn't very clear: yes, the router should be configured to use
DHCP for the WAN port (generally the default), but no, the cable modem isn't
the DHCP server.

Alex

On 10/08/2005 Alex Fraser wrote:

> "Alex Fraser" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message

[snipped]

Many thanks for your replies Alex :-)

--
Jeff Gaines - Damerham Hampshire UK
Using XanaNews 1.17.5.7

On 10/08/2005 Lister wrote:

> > He is considering a combined ADSL Modem/Router/WAP so he has the
> > option to switch his BB to ADSL at some time. If he does this and
> > connects the Telewest Modem to one of the network ports and turns
> > off/doesn't connect the 'phone line cable will it effectively work
> > just as a router/modem or do the routing functions only work on the
> > 'phone line connection? I am a bit wary about this last suggestion.
>
>
> Not sure what you're asking. The routing should work whatever you do.


I think since my brain has woken up a bit, and in view of the reply
from Alex, that the cable modem needs to be connected to a specific
modem port and not just plugged into 'any' port on the router?

--
Jeff Gaines - Damerham Hampshire UK
Using XanaNews 1.17.5.7

On 10 Aug 2005 12:50:26 GMT, "Jeff Gaines"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>On 10/08/2005 Lister wrote:
>
>> > He is considering a combined ADSL Modem/Router/WAP so he has the
>> > option to switch his BB to ADSL at some time. If he does this and
>> > connects the Telewest Modem to one of the network ports and turns
>> > off/doesn't connect the 'phone line cable will it effectively work
>> > just as a router/modem or do the routing functions only work on the
>> > 'phone line connection? I am a bit wary about this last suggestion.
>>
>>
>> Not sure what you're asking. The routing should work whatever you do.
>
>
>I think since my brain has woken up a bit, and in view of the reply
>from Alex, that the cable modem needs to be connected to a specific
>modem port and not just plugged into 'any' port on the router?



Yes, that's right

There should be one port for the modem and several ports for the
computers




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Soni tempori elseu romani yeof helsforo nisson ol sefini ill des Wed, 10 Aug
2005 13:08:36 +0100, sefini jorgo geanyet des mani yeof do
uk.comp.home-networking, yawatina tan reek esk Lister
<(E-Mail Removed)> fornis do marikano es bono tan el:

>>He is considering a combined ADSL Modem/Router/WAP so he has the option
>>to switch his BB to ADSL at some time. If he does this and connects the
>>Telewest Modem to one of the network ports and turns off/doesn't
>>connect the 'phone line cable will it effectively work just as a
>>router/modem or do the routing functions only work on the 'phone line
>>connection? I am a bit wary about this last suggestion.
>
>Not sure what you're asking. The routing should work whatever you do.

But for cable, you can't use an ADSL combined modem/router/WAP.

deKay
--
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|- Gaming Diary: www.lofi-gaming.org.uk/diary/
|- My computer runs at 3.5MHz and I'm proud of that
|- CSS Crap Games Comp 2005: http://www.lofi-gaming.org.uk/speccy/cgc2005/

On Wed, 10 Aug 2005 20:17:06 +0100, deKay
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Soni tempori elseu romani yeof helsforo nisson ol sefini ill des Wed, 10 Aug
>2005 13:08:36 +0100, sefini jorgo geanyet des mani yeof do
>uk.comp.home-networking, yawatina tan reek esk Lister
><(E-Mail Removed)> fornis do marikano es bono tan el:
>
>>>He is considering a combined ADSL Modem/Router/WAP so he has the option
>>>to switch his BB to ADSL at some time. If he does this and connects the
>>>Telewest Modem to one of the network ports and turns off/doesn't
>>>connect the 'phone line cable will it effectively work just as a
>>>router/modem or do the routing functions only work on the 'phone line
>>>connection? I am a bit wary about this last suggestion.
>>
>>Not sure what you're asking. The routing should work whatever you do.
>
>But for cable, you can't use an ADSL combined modem/router/WAP.


That's true




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