On Sun, 07 Aug 2005 04:47:34 GMT, "George Hester"
<hesterloli@hotmail.com> wrote:


>OK what is a switch and how would it attach to the router?

They filter and forward network traffic. Essentially, in
simplest terms for your use, plugging a switch into your
router is the equivalent of the router having more ports.


>Does it go in one of the port openings which then has more port openings which the machines then hook into?

Yes


>The trouble is each port opening has an IP address.

No, each machine does. If you plugged them into a switch,
they will still either receive DHCP configuration from your
router or retain their otherwise-assigned IP addresses the
same as if any/all were directly connected to the router
(actually it's the router's integral switch) port.

>Would a switch having more that one port have trouble with IP address coming out of one port on the router?

No, you can even daisey-chain switches. Don't think of a
port having an IP number, it is the host that just (happens
to be) connected to that port that has the IP number and
thus, so long as it's connected in your local lan still, the
rules for it having (whichever IP number and however it got
it) remain the same.


>
>I have just gotten a Hub but I think I'll ask about this seperately.

That's fine, use the hub instead since you already have it.
The difference is that the hub doesn't do the filtering, it
broadcasts traffic on all ports instead of only the one
route to the destination. That can be a performance problem
when several systems are connected and simultaneously
"needing" high throughput but for your purpose it will work
fine.