Router with a switch?

[gamingmage]

ok here is my problem i have a router....one that has only ONE ethernet port that can connect to a computer...

so i go out and buy a D-Link 5-port, 10-100 switch, in order to create more ports...

but this doesn't work, only one of the computers is able to have internet at a time if any...
why is this? does this have something to do with sharing I.P. addresses? any help would be appreciated

by the way the computers are an OLD mac and an OLD dell dimension 2400 if u guys need any other information plz tell me

 

[Nodsu]

Are you sure that this device is a router and not a modem and that it is configured to act as a router and not a bridge?

What is the exact make and model of the thing?

 

[Rick]

Are you sure that this device is a router and not a modem and that it is configured to act as a router and not a bridge?

What is the exact make and model of the thing?

Ditto. Nodsu is spot on.

The problem here sounds like your 'router' is not actually routing anything. Only one computer being able to get online suggests it is in bridging mode or it is simply not capable of being a router.

If you could do a Start > Run > cmd.exe and type ipconfig /all on each computer, that would probably confirm it.

If your computer IP address aren't 192.168.xxx.xxx, 10.xxx.xxx.xxx or 172.[16-31].xxx.xxx, then you definitely have a router issue.

 

[DelJo63]

go to the router ADMIN page, enable DHCP, reboot.

all systems attached to the switch need DHCP enabled too

 

[tipstir]

Make you use ports 1 from the router uplink port usually the last port and then port 2 would go into another PC.