router or a hub?

[Super Stu]

The adsl or cable modem would do that? As far as either of those are concerned, there's one device sat behind them if no router connected. I'm fairly sure I read the mac fiddle is how cable users could circumvent a router.

Fusion: yes.

[Commander Marklar]

Hang on, I'm not sure I follow what you mean... the modem does what?

There needs to be some intelligence there to talk to the modem properly.

It can't talk to itself

What would happen though? Would the hub just forward requests to all connected, let the nodes sort it out?? I have no idea, but I guess multiple devices couldn't talk back; how does the modem know what's talking to what, etc... hence some intelligence is needed to filter traffic properly.

[Super Stu]

Look, all I know is that some UK cable folk fiddle their mac address to allow them to connect several devices to their cable modem. Instead of having to piss fart about rewiring, they use a hub. I've no idea if both PC and xbox can be used at the same time.

IIRC.

If you can connect a PC directly to the cable modem via a patch cable, why is inserting a hub into the path any different?

[Commander Marklar]

Yea, of course that'll work but you can't use multiple devices... that's all. Only advantage to that is swopping cables over, unless there is some other mysterious thing involved.

The MAC cloning would be simply so you don't have to reboot the modem or to get around registering multiple devices or whatever. To the modem, it'd look like the same device is always present.

No way you could use several at the same time though, that's what I thought you were mumbling about

[Super Stu]

Aye, I realise that :P

[Fusion]

40m of patch, one NIC, one router, and much fiddling. my 2 PC LAN is set up. yay me!