cable bandwidth question

[redalert]

If I share my cable connection with another computer will the client computer slow down the main computer's connection speed? Can both computers be online at the same time accessing different sites?

[CKOZUK]

the onnection will slow if your both using the web at the same time. How are you sharing the connection?

[mbossman2]

Originally posted by redalert If I share my cable connection with another computer will the client computer slow down the main computer's connection speed? Can both computers be online at the same time accessing different sites?

if you share the connection via a router, one machine's relative processing speed will not affect the other. The broadband connection speed will be affected only when both machines are accessing the 'net simultaneously, but the impact on transactional requests (as opposed to a 10mb download) will be small due to the bursty nature of ethernet/WAN traffic.

If, however, you are using 1 PC as a sharing device (2 NIC's in the PC, one going to the other PC and 1 going to the broadband modem), then the machine in the middle's processing power will affect the overall connection speed.

[CKOZUK]

Originally posted by mbossman2 if you share the connection via a router, one machine's relative processing speed will not affect the other. The broadband connection speed will be affected only when both machines are accessing the 'net simultaneously, but the impact on transactional requests (as opposed to a 10mb download) will be small due to the bursty nature of ethernet/WAN traffic. If, however, you are using 1 PC as a sharing device (2 NIC's in the PC, one going to the other PC and 1 going to the broadband modem), then the machine in the middle's processing power will affect the overall connection speed.

im thinking of using my old 200mmx using mandrake linux 9 as a gateway to share my net connection will this slow down the net connection?

[mbossman2]

as compared to a router? yes. Anytime you compare the performance of a specialized device to that of a general device, then the specialized device is almost always faster.

If cost is a factor, your solution will work, but a router is almost always a better choice as it can have features (like firewall, VPN and encyption) that are processor intensive and the specialized ASIC's in router are designed to deal better than that of a general processor.

[Statica]

Personally, I'd always prefer a computer as a firewall than a router. Its more powerful, the difference in speed IMHO is negligible, provided you start creating the same number of filters on the router. Yes a stock configuration of a router may give better initial speed but then try creating filters, and over time you may find the router getting bogged down; but a dedicated computer, running a UNIX/-like OS will give you better performance in terms of firewalling, and not to mention logging. In addition to all that, its easier to configure your connection as relates to the programs you run easier with a Linux box than it is with a router.

[mbossman2]

You have 2 differing opinions and it really depends on the router that you are planning on purchasing and the services you want to run on your sharing device. If you are planning on going with a low end router (read: consumer type), you may get better performance from a PC running an xNIX OS. If, however, you are planning on a larger scale deployment (more than 20 users or so), then a dedicated commerical grade router (read: Cisco or that level) will always give you better performance, better management, and a more scalable solution than a PC, but there is a cost involved.

[CKOZUK]

Services i want to use are going to be programmes like morpheous, win mx,msn messenger, games etc

[CKOZUK]

with 2 computers

[CKOZUK]

am trying to decide between the linux box or a D link DI 604 broadband router

[mbossman2]

in small home network deployments it usually comes down to cost. Either solution (Linux or router) in this case will serve you fine.

[CKOZUK]

thanx for your help matey