How to share cable modem w. 2 computers--one wireless, one not??

[mishka612]

Help!! I have 2 computers that I want to hook up to my cable modem...

I have a PowerBook which I connect to my cable modem through a wireless access point. I want to add another computer (an older iMac, which doesn't have wireless built in) so I can get internet on both.

How do I do this???

For my iMac I bought a Hawking Wireless USB Adapter and was told this would allow the computer to connect using wireless, so we can just share the wireless connection. So far, I've had problems doing this. I can never get the right IP address. I tried called Lynksys (the makers of the access point) but they wanna charge me for tech support. So I didn't do it.

Do I need a router? Is the USB adapter useless?

 

[imac/cheese]

I am planning on doing this with an airport extreme connected to my cable modem. I am plugging my PC into the airport extreme (it can take up to 3 hard wired computers) and when my new imac arrives, I will connect wirlessly to the extreme.

 

[yippy]

If it is just an access point, then yes, you need some kind of router. A cable modem can only give out one IP address so to connect more than one computer you need a router which can give out as many as 254.

Routers are getting quite cheap these days and you should be able to get a wired one for $10-$20 and connect it between the cable modem and your access point. This would solve your problems.

 

[lofight]

a router.. for sure, Apple has good ones..

 

[arkitect]

Home setup:

Cable connection
>> Cable Modem (Supplied by VirginMedia)
>> Netgear Router
>> 1. Ethernet into MacPro
2. Wireless to iMac
3. Wireless to MacBook
4. Wireless to iPhone
5. Etc.

Don't get a USB router… they are pretty poor.

 

[Gaelic1]

I have the Apple Airport Extreme. I have my laptop using the wireless and two iMacs on the ethernet. The third ethernet connection is for a i TB ethernet hard drive which works as backup to all three computers. This has been working very well for me.