Routers?

[mystvearn]

My bro bought a D-link router with printer port. So other than connecting two or more pc's to the internet sharing the same line, what else can a router do?
Can I play games with him? Internet speeds will have an effect from current speeds?

[bailey]

a router with a built in switch will allow you to connect many computers and with that printer port you will also have a network printer that all the computers can use,

also a lan games work just great, and there will be no connection speed loss.
also a router will act as a hardware firewall so the outside world will not see your network,
a router is a necessary piece of hardware any time you have a full time connection on a wideband network in my opinion.

[mystvearn]

So I can download and play games at the same time without any speed loss?
As a firewall, I need to know what ports to enable right? Its not like software firewall? So which to allow, which not to allow? If I install a new software that uses internet, how to know what ports are needed?
I heard that routers can log into my broadband. Meaning, I don't have to connect to via windows, the router does it for me. Is this true?
As for sharing between uses, I know I use lots of bandwith, my bro uses lot sof bandwith, how to separate equally? Or is this a cumulative bandwith? split half?

[bailey]

the programs you use will still be useing tha ports, but a port scanner on the outside will not see any of your ports

the switch will route the data to the computer its addressed to and will switch full bandwidth between each system.
you do not have to worry about any ports or firewall.
the router does it all for you,

if both systems are downloading a very large amount of data at the same time, you will see very littel differance in speed

[mystvearn]

I see, so the speed are not halfed. Thanks .Curious, if I have 10pc's to a router, I can download 10times as fast?

[bailey]

no, but try it, if you can find a way to do that