How to Share a DSL Connection Between Two Computers

A router is meant to help share Internet access.

Sharing a DSL connection between two computers is easy to do so long as you have a router to split the signal. Without a router, doing this would be difficult. A router, wireless or not, is a tool used specifically for the purpose of sharing Internet connectivity between different computers.

Things You'll Need

• DSL modem
• Router
• Three Ethernet cables (or more)
• Two computers (or more)
• LAN (optional)

Instructions

1. Connect your DSL modem to a router via an Ethernet cable. Usually routers will have an Ethernet cable port which is somehow different from the rest of the Ethernet cable ports for the modem. The difference is usually a different color. For example, a Netgear Rangemax Wireless Router has one yellow port and four orange ports where the yellow port is for the modem and the orange ports are for the multiple computers.

2. Connect one computer to the router using an Ethernet cable. Again, there is usually some differentiating mark, such as color coding, used to indicate where the modem is to be connected and where the computer is to be connected. If, like with the Netgear Rangemax Wireless Router, there are multiple Ethernet cable ports for multiple computers, it doesn't make a difference which port is used to connect this computer. If you have a wireless router and want to connect this computer to the router wirelessly, you will have to create a local area network (LAN).

3. Connect a second computer to the router using an Ethernet cable, or wirelessly, in the same way which the first computer was connected to the network using the Ethernet cable, or wirelessly. If you are connecting both computers using Ethernet cables, then there is no need to create a LAN unless you want the computers to share information, or share devices such as printers. To create a LAN, you will need to follow the specific instructions for your router and/or computer operating system.

References

• Home Networking