2 PCs, 1 Cable modem, Help?

[Shack]

Ok I am getting a cable modem and I want t o use 2 PCs on it. No prob right? Just set up a network(via hub) and you can get both online. What i want to do is have it so I can run either 1 or the other PCS and/or both at the same time. If I do a network and use something like Wingate, I need to always have one on. How can I get around this? Any suggestions??

[DougM]

You can use a router such as:
http://www.atronics.com/cmspec.html

See also:
http://www.cablemodemhelp.com/
http://www.cablemodeminfo.com/cablesharing.html
http://www.timhiggins.com/ppd/sharing.htm

[bighammer]

or just put 2 nics in 1 and 1 in the other and give the one with the cable nic an address and the other one gateway'd to it. Set up using crossover instead of twisted pair cat 5 cable if you buy it premade.

[jmeier]

Well that depends on the service. I use Cox @home cable modem service and I know that you have to use some sort of proxy (or router) you just cannot build a private ip network and expect it to work. I use proxy software and have not had any problems. In addition, I've never had any success plugging a cable modem into a hub and then letting any pc use it. Most providers use DHCP and if you have two pcs on a network and happen to get the cable modem plugged into a hub only one pc would be assigned an address and it both get assigned I'm sure the provider would find out and charge you. Sorry if this really doesn't help.