zero2dash

Right now we have an 8 port hub to share our network at my job. (just a regular hub, it's not a router)

My bosses were wanting to upgrade to something with a larger capacity (maybe a 10 or 16 port). Obviously if we get something with an uplink and the hub we have has an uplink (I'm assuming it does), we could get another 8 port and connect the two for a total of 16.

Ok, my question is...will a router/switch suffice for what we need?
Specifically...this? (Linksys BEFSR81 EtherFast Cable/DSL Router With 8 10/100 Switched Ports)

I was thinking about going the router way because we have DSL but the only firewalled computer is the one running XP...the G5 I use has the OSX firewall also, but we have a few older pc's that don't have any firewall. The printers we have use LPR printing & don't have any external print server boxes (but all of them work under the current setup, which for all intents and purposes, looks just like everything's plugged into a normal hub).

I know a router/switch box (Linksys) will share the DSL connection (obviously) but I don't have any experience of trying to use a router for LPR printing devices. Will a router work ok, or do I need something else, like a VPN/router? (Netgear FVS318NA Cable/DSL ProSafe VPN Firewall with 8 Port Router)

(I prefer Linksys over Netgear because I have bad prior experience with Netgear products/reliability.)

Thanks in advance everyone.

Jeffbx

OK, step back a second -

Router - for sharing internet connection

Hub/switch - for connecting physical devices on a network

The uplink on the *router* is for connecting to a different subnet outside of your network - typically the internet.

An uplink port on a switch/hub IS to connect to another switch, but it's not required. You can also chain them together through ANY port using a crossover cable. The uplink port just allows you to make the connection using a standard patch cable.

SO it sounds like you might be OK to just pick up that router with the 8 port switch built in & grab a crossover cable, too. Hook up the router to your internet connection & string the crossover cable between a port on the router & a port on your existing hub. Now everything is on the same network.

Other consideration - you will have to either re-address your current machines, or change the IP address that the router uses to match what you're using internally.

GilbertsGrape

your DSL modem may already have a router in it, if all of your computers are connecting to the internet. i would check and see what kind of address your PC's have. you may only need a switch.