Connecting an extra computer to Internet

[David Fletcher]

At 17:10 05/07/2007, you wrote:

>On 7/5/07, Dave Ihnat <dihnat at dminet.com> wrote:
>> > I have a cable-based (not optic) modem/router to connect to the
>> > Internet (ADSL), which works fine. However, a friend comes in from
>> > time to time, bringing her laptop. Is there some cheap and easy way of
>> > letting her laptop to connect to Internet? Unfortunately, I cannot see
>> > any place in the modem/router to connect an extra cable...
>>
>>Sure--depends on how you've configured your LAN, though.  If you're
>>using the Linux box as a firewall, you put a second NIC in it and either
>>connect her to that, or (more useful) put a switch on it so you have
>>more than one connection.
>>
>>If you're NOT using the Linux box as a firewall, then you absolutely
>>should get a firewall appliance between the cable modem and your LAN.
>>All of these have at least four, usually five LAN ports.
>
>Thanks, Dave. I have still no LAN (as far as I am aware of it); I only
>have a single computer and a modem to connect to the Internet. What do
>you mean by NIC? How can I know whether I have already got NICs in my
>computer?
>
>Paul
>
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I think we're missing a possible problem here.

Most of us who are not using wireless, I guess, are connecting to a 
router using Ethernet cables. Some cable modems are only provided 
with a USB connection, in which case there would be a slight 
difficulty in plugging an Ethernet router into it.

If the OP is not familiar with the term "NIC" then this could be the case.

So, Paul, is the cable you use to connect to the modem the same as 
the USB cables you use with printers and scanners, or is the plug the 
same at each end, made from a clear plastic moulding with a spring 
out latch on one side and gold plated connectors on the other side?

Dave