Tech ? Hub use

Hey guys, Perhaps one of you techy computer guys can answer a question for me. I use my work laptop at home but it always ticks me off that I have to reach down behind my home tower and disconnect my cable connecter to plug the cable into my laptop and then reconnect it to my tower when I'm done. I came by a used HUB-WAY hub that I'm going to set on my desktop to plug both into. There are 8 numbered ports across the back and one port labled "cross over". I'm assuming that the feed cable goes in the "cross over" slot and the computers hook into one of the others? Can both computers operate at once? Can this be used to somehow connect my home printer with my work computer assuming that I have the correct driver in my laptop?  There is also a female port on the back that looks kind of like some sort of coax connecter, purpose? Any help to the uninitiated would be appreciated. RD

Rockydog, hubs are for internal networks and are whats called a dumb device, what you need is a router.You can pick up a decent wired router for around 40 dollars and you will be much happier. A hub takes all the information on a network and basically throws it to every other port in the the hub where as a router actually keeps track of where each request comes from and sends it to that location, much faster and it is a lot easier to configure your network most of the time being as simple as plugging everything in and telling your computers to automatically detect settings and assign ip by dns, while I never recommend leaving anything as it comes from the factory (if you leave everythhing default it is easier to get into) you can manually change your internal ip range,and ALWAYS change the router username and password.

Blk

BEAR wrote: Wireless routers are just as cheap, and you can use your lap top anywhere in the house.  There can be some security issues on wireless routers, but everyone uses them.  I'd not put SS# or bank account info on  a wireless router.  A small price to pay for the flexibility of no wires.  Youu can sit and watch TV and surf at the same time! BEAR

There are a LOT of security issues with wireless I know of someone RIGHT NOW that pays nada for internet because he piggybacks on one of his neibors wireless routers. Just like I was saying about leaving everything default on it (plug and play) the guy was able to break into the router and lock the owner out of it, now there is a fix for this but how many of you fellas actually WATCH the traffic in and out of your networks? Not very many is my guess.

Blk

Rockydog... sorry for the late reply on this, but ...

what you need depends on what you have.  If you have a cable modem, and you are plugging the ethernet cable that comes from it straight into your pc/laptop, then unplugging that cable from your machine and putting it into the uplink port of that switch will indeed work.  Your 2 machines would then just plug into other ports on the hub.  And even though blkpwdrnut was correct that hubs are "dumb" and they broadcast info to every port, it really doesn't matter since you are going to have only 2 devices connected and only Internet traffic going over it.  The bigger issue that you have is security.  You do not want to have your computer plugged straight into a cable modem.  You need a firewall between you and the Internet.  Most of these also have ports on them for your devices, thus nullifying your need to buy a hub.  In the end, if you traced a cable from the wall, it would go like this:

(where -- represents the cables)

wall -- cable modem -- firewall -- computer1 and computer 2

Lastly, don't pay too much for that hub if you do buy it... hubs are dirt cheap.  You can get a switch (the newer version of hubs that don't broadcast to every port) for around $20.