greg nester
New member
do i have to have a router to run the stoker on my computer...i wanna use stoker log on my computer...all i have is a cable modem...i have a long network cable i can use....please help...thank you
do i need a router to run the stoker
- Thread starter greg nester
- Start date
Im not the most knowledgeable on this subject. However it is my understanding that Stokerlog points to an IP address so in that case yes you will need a router to hook you PC and Stoker upto to use Stokerlog. However you do not need a router to use the functionality of the stoker, using the units controls on the front of the unit.
Tom Burrus
TVWBB Fan
Most computers have only one Ethernet port and if that is the case, your modem is probably plugged in there (unless it is a USB modem). Some cable modems have multiple Ethernet ports so check for multiple ports on the modem first. If there is only the one port, then you probably could use a router. It is possible (see this link) to connect a computer directly to the stoker using a crossover cable but the configuration can be tricky and if you use the same computer port for the modem you'll have to reconfigure for the modem once the Stoker is disconnected. Also, while the computer is connected to the Stoker, you won't be able to read and post messages here (assuming your modem is plugged into the one Ethernet connector on the computer.)
Bottom line: it is possible but probably not ideal unless the computer is only used for the Stoker (like for comps).
Bottom line: it is possible but probably not ideal unless the computer is only used for the Stoker (like for comps).
LarryR
TVWBB Diamond Member
OK, dumb question for you networking guys out there. Could Greg purchase a NETWORK SWITCH, connect to his modem, connect his computer and Stoker to the switch and communicate with Stoker? Or, does the switch not contain the necessary networking components to support this? Just thinking it would be a cheap and easy solution for him.
Tom Burrus
TVWBB Fan
A switch or even a hub should work as far as I know but I haven't tried one. Good catch Larry!
Dwight Coker
TVWBB Member
Not all modems will work that way.....
Dwight Coker
TVWBB Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by LarryR:
. . . so Dwight, what should one look for in a modem "to work that way?" </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I'm not really sure "what to look" for but I know Westell 2100/2200 & 6100 will work as a router if you use a switch or a hub...
. . . so Dwight, what should one look for in a modem "to work that way?" </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I'm not really sure "what to look" for but I know Westell 2100/2200 & 6100 will work as a router if you use a switch or a hub...
Jeff Bower
New member
It's not really an issue with the modem, but one with the ISP. If you can grab a second public IP address a switch work just fine, but most ISPs won't let you do that. Since a switch is fairly hard to find (relatively speaking) and about the same price as a router, the router is an easier solution. The downside being it will be a little more difficult to access the computer (or the Stoker) from the Internet, but often that's a good thing since it's also more difficult for hackers to access it.
Tom Burrus
TVWBB Fan
It is true that almost all consumer broadband "modems" these days incorporate routing and firewall features (even those having only one Ethernet port.) Adding a router between the broadband modem and the computer can result in a considerably slower internet experience. If you use a separate router with a broadband modem you should disable the routing/firewall functions in the modem.
If you think you will ever want to access the Stoker from outside your local network, you will need a router because "port forwarding" features are not available in a switch. I would generally recommend installing a router over a switch because of the flexibility a router offers but with the understanding that if a modem is connected to the new router, the modem should have its routing and firewall disabled and let the new router perform those duties.
Jeff, I am not sure why the ISP would need to assign a second IP as long as the switch was only managing data within the local network (e.g. 192.168.xxx.xxx IP addresses); those devices connected between the modem and the computer. Would the ISP even be aware of how many devices were connected to the switch?
If you think you will ever want to access the Stoker from outside your local network, you will need a router because "port forwarding" features are not available in a switch. I would generally recommend installing a router over a switch because of the flexibility a router offers but with the understanding that if a modem is connected to the new router, the modem should have its routing and firewall disabled and let the new router perform those duties.
Jeff, I am not sure why the ISP would need to assign a second IP as long as the switch was only managing data within the local network (e.g. 192.168.xxx.xxx IP addresses); those devices connected between the modem and the computer. Would the ISP even be aware of how many devices were connected to the switch?
Jeff Bower
New member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tom Burrus:
Jeff, I am not sure why the ISP would need to assign a second IP as long as the switch was only managing data within the local network (e.g. 192.168.xxx.xxx IP addresses); those devices connected between the modem and the computer. Would the ISP even be aware of how many devices were connected to the switch? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
If you've got a private IP address (192.168.x.x is typical) then you've probably got a routing modem (in which case adding a switch will work just fine - my Westell does just that by default but I changed it to transparent and use my own WiFi-enabled router instead). If you've just got a modem your PC will have a public IP address assigned by your ISP. Your ISP cares about the number of public IPs you have since they only have a limited amount, but most ISPs (at least in the US) don't care if you've got multiple devices attached to a router on the other side of that public IP since a protocol called NAT allows you to share the same single public IP.
As to whether they'd be aware of multiple devices, it's possible for them to know that it's happening if the devices both access the Internet but typically this involves deeper packet inspection than an ISP would generally care to do (especially since it's not forbidden behavior). In general they don't know or care, but in the interest of completeness they could find out if they really wanted to.
Personally I haven't noticed any speed issues when adding a router (bandwidth seems the same and while there's certainly a touch more latency it's nothing that I'd notice as an end user). But then again this could be the difference between a decent router and one of the dirt cheap specials you can pick up, or that a 3Mbps DSL connection won't overpower a router but a 15Mbps FiOS link may.
Jeff, I am not sure why the ISP would need to assign a second IP as long as the switch was only managing data within the local network (e.g. 192.168.xxx.xxx IP addresses); those devices connected between the modem and the computer. Would the ISP even be aware of how many devices were connected to the switch? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
If you've got a private IP address (192.168.x.x is typical) then you've probably got a routing modem (in which case adding a switch will work just fine - my Westell does just that by default but I changed it to transparent and use my own WiFi-enabled router instead). If you've just got a modem your PC will have a public IP address assigned by your ISP. Your ISP cares about the number of public IPs you have since they only have a limited amount, but most ISPs (at least in the US) don't care if you've got multiple devices attached to a router on the other side of that public IP since a protocol called NAT allows you to share the same single public IP.
As to whether they'd be aware of multiple devices, it's possible for them to know that it's happening if the devices both access the Internet but typically this involves deeper packet inspection than an ISP would generally care to do (especially since it's not forbidden behavior). In general they don't know or care, but in the interest of completeness they could find out if they really wanted to.
Personally I haven't noticed any speed issues when adding a router (bandwidth seems the same and while there's certainly a touch more latency it's nothing that I'd notice as an end user). But then again this could be the difference between a decent router and one of the dirt cheap specials you can pick up, or that a 3Mbps DSL connection won't overpower a router but a 15Mbps FiOS link may.
Dwight Coker
TVWBB Member
All I know is ALL DSL modems will NOT work as a router.......! I have used a hub on the Westell 2100. 2200 & 6100 & it didn't affect my speed on any of those.......!
Tom Burrus
TVWBB Fan
You are right. Most modems do not "work as a router." But almost all broadband "modems" incorporate router and firewall functions and two routers in series will cause packet collisions more so than a single router and that can affect the apparent speed of network traffic.
Whether you notice the reduction in speed is dependent on what you do on the internet. For example, if you mostly surf the web and check email you probably won't notice. If you run dedicated, real-time, speed-critical applications such as futures charting programs (QCharts or eSignal) the reduction in speed will be apparent (and possibly costly).
Using a switch or a hub is not the same as using a router. Routers manage packets as they flow through. Switches are more efficient than hubs but neither switches or hubs manage packets. Broadband modems incorporate more than just "modem" functions.
Whether you notice the reduction in speed is dependent on what you do on the internet. For example, if you mostly surf the web and check email you probably won't notice. If you run dedicated, real-time, speed-critical applications such as futures charting programs (QCharts or eSignal) the reduction in speed will be apparent (and possibly costly).
Using a switch or a hub is not the same as using a router. Routers manage packets as they flow through. Switches are more efficient than hubs but neither switches or hubs manage packets. Broadband modems incorporate more than just "modem" functions.