[ubuntu-uk] Can I use a desktop PC as a network hub?

[Tom Bamford]

On 2/22/08, James Grabham <jgrabham at googlemail.com> wrote:
>
> Right, Im setting up a p3 800mhz 256mb box as a firewall, file server,
> media player and to use for other stuff.
>
> Now I will have
>
> Modem>PC>old wireless router
>
> If I do this, I will have all network traffic coming at it through a
> single 10/100 connection.
>
> Instead of plugging all my wired computers into the router, can I shove
> some more NICs into the srever, and plug them into this, making it act as a
> hub as well.
>
> So Id have eth0 eth1 eth2
>
> Will this work.


As far as I know, there are two ways of achieving this. You can either
configure each card on a separate subnet and set your box up to forward
packets between them, or you can create a bridge device containing each ethX
device you want to bridge, and they will be configured as one device. The
latter is probably what you're after, I have done this before to bridge my
VirtualBox VMs with the rest of my lan and it works quite well.

Will I need patch or crossover cables.


Whether to use a straight or crossed cable depends on the device you're
using rather than the configuration. PC to PC, or hub to hub uplink demands
a crossed cable, most other applications use straight cables (eg. PC to hub,
hub to hub non-uplink).

All help much appreciated.
>
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