Earthlink.net prohibits networking

Does anyone have this problem with earthlink, it prohibits networking, even wireless networking. He have to pay for another ISP address. When I tried to network my desktop and laptop, it gaves me a message "must close current pc to get online. What do you want to do?" When I investigated this issue, I found out it will only give only one IP address. Any multi IP addresses, you have to pay for another one. Can you work around this issure? Or, do I have to drop earthlink all together?

 

All ISPs' require this, you can bypass this with a gateway that does NAT.

 

May be this can Help.

Link to: Basic Options for Internet Connection Sharing.

Link to: Hubs, routers, switches, DSL, LANs, WANs...?

Link to: What do I need for wireless Networking?

Ignore the prices in the links above. The newer hardware can be found for 60%-90% less.

Link to: Diagram of Broadband Connection with Cable/DSL Router.

 

not quite true... SBC yahoo DSL allows connection of up to 10 pcs on a single account all of them getting equal speeds... not shared.

 

This doesn't mean anything, are they all dynamic IPs' or behind some type of ISP NAT?

 

its behind a NAT... but i was refering to the "paying" for seperate hookups part.

SBC uses a home portal/DSL modem from good ol 2wire. it allows connection through USB, Ethernet, and has a built in 802.11b capabilities.

 

Most home providers will give you a single IP address only. Corp providers may give a range of IPs (which is used to make an edgeless network, which usually get allocated by a DHCP server).

If you want to use more than one computer in your home, you need a NAT device, for example a router. Even better if its got a modem built into it, as most modern ones do.

Good start would be a NETGEAR router. Here is an entry level wireless Cable/DSL router that might give you a starting point. I think the board is decided that Linksys are shoddy, many of us have had bad experiences with them, and D-Link is alright, if you can read Engrish.

I hope this helps!

p.s. you guys, as interesting as it is, you wern't really addressing the thread starter's problem.

 

Well.

1. If you would bother to take a look at the Links in the second reply to this post, you would see that every thing that can be said about the topic is states in these Link.

2. Discrimination is not Nice. I can give hundreds of Links that complains about the Cable/DSL Router from Netgear, as well as SMC. D-Link, Linksys or any other Entry Level Brand of these devices.

Each Brand has few Good Devices and many Bad one. The kind of "Sweeping" statements Brand X is Good, and Brand Y is Bad is irresponsible.

The main difference between the Entry level Cable/DSL Routers is the number, and range of ports that can be opened through the Hardware Firewall.

If you are a gamer, and or use applications that need ports opening, it is an issue you have to look at.
You need to list your special ports opening and check the specs. of each targeted Router to make sure that it can keep these ports Open.
If you want a more elaborate Router with better VPN, and SPI capacities you have to look at the Top Models of SMC, Linksys, and Netgear etc... They have each a higher level hardware for about $100

Otherwise I would go with the lowest price, and the décor (I.e. the color of the Plastic that suit best your furniture)

 

I beg your pardon, firstly i wasnt saying anything about your post, though i forgot to say that the links were a good resource. my post was a folowup of your post with some specific models as an example. What i WAS saying that having a debate about how ISPs delgate their IP addresses was irrelevant to the question! And i was discrimintating against any other brands, i was just saying that many members of this board (4 at least) have had problems with Linksys wireless products

sorry for any confusion !