Connecting two computers to one modem
There's a question in my A+ review guide in which a customer wants to connect a second computer to the Internet and wants to know if he would have to get an additional NIC for his computer. I thought he would, but the answer the book gives says that the customer can buy a switch to connect the two computers and connect the switch to the modem. It says nothing about an NIC. I was under the impression that every networked computer would need an individual NIC, but now I am confused. Can two or more computers be networked if only one has an NIC?
Comments
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m5fgn
Registered Users Posts: 3 ■□□□□□□□□□
So the question doesn't actually state that the second PC has no NIC?
Think it could be in the wording of the question - i.e. Customer wants to know if he needs a second NIC for his computer?
If both pc's have NIC's then a 2 way splitter would do the trick - I should think. -
YFZblu
Member Posts: 1,462 ■■■■■■■■□□
It looks like the question is asking if you'd need to connect an additional NIC to the modem it self, for which the answer is no. -
Michael2
Member Posts: 305 ■■■□□□□□□□
It doesn't say whether the other computer has an NIC or not. I thought it might be asking if the customer should get a second NIC in his computer so that he's be running two NICs, but I think it's bizarre that the answer does not even mention an NIC at all.
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YFZblu
Member Posts: 1,462 ■■■■■■■■□□
I think it's implied that the other computer does have a NIC. Sometimes we psych ourselves out analyzing these questions, especially those CompTIAs which can be funky.
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KenC
Member Posts: 131
You should present the question here word for word so that it can be discussed fully - it is all too vague to be valid.
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Darril
Member Posts: 1,588
I agree the question is a little fuzzy but I think the key word is "additional" in "wants to know if he would have to get an additional NIC for his computer." It seems to be assuming each computer already has a NIC.
Current config
Computer 1 -> Modem -> Internet
Solution
Computer 1 (with NIC) -> \
Switch -> Modem -> Internet
Computer 2 (with NIC) -> /
Your underlying understanding is correct. A networked computer needs a NIC. Two or more computers cannot be networked if only one has a NIC.
HTH,
