[monoxidez]

So my cable modem has a USB and a ethernet slot. My ethernet slot is used by my desktop. I was wondering if I can connect my labtop with my cable modem by using the USB slot. Will it work?

I have a SB5120 Surfboard cable modem.

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Reading the the specs at the Motorola page I would think not. It says you can use "ethernet or USB". most modems lock out one or the other depending which is used. The good news is this Modem does support up to 32 addresses so you can connect a switch or a hub and use it as a wired router.

[silverbeard]

Reading the the specs at the Motorola page I would think not. It says you can use "ethernet or USB". most modems lock out one or the other depending which is used. The good news is this Modem does support up to 32 addresses so you can connect a switch or a hub and use it as a wired router.

[monoxidez]

For this next post, please don't tell me to buy a router.

I'm wondering if I can switch my cable modem which is connected to my desktop to my labtop. Like if I want to play with my desktop, I'll just connect my cable modem to my desktop. When I want to play with my labtop, I'll just connect it to my labtop. Will my cable modem get damaged if I keep doing that? Is it safe?

[cmw2010]

I can't say for sure if it will damage your modem. I do know that some cable ISP's will register a MAC Address with your account. If you change computers you may be required to call them and register the different MAC addresses each time you switch.

[silverbeard]

No it won't harm anything. The MAC is assigned to the modem and your modem has it's own dhcp server and is already a router it just lacks the network switch. For $16 you can get an 8 port network switch HERE.

[cmw2010]

Looking through the FAQ's on Motorola's site, you can hook one computer to the ethernet port and one computer to the USB port at the same time. You just cannot hook the same computer to both at the same time. But unless you pay for multiple IP's, I don't think you can connect that way. I believe the DHCP server is only active when offline, before it connects and gets its IP address from the headend. From that point the DHCP server is shutoff and the SB5120 needs a router to connect multiple computers to the internet, unless you pay for multiple IP's.

[monoxidez]

Looking through the FAQ's on Motorola's site, you can hook one computer to the ethernet port and one computer to the USB port at the same time. You just cannot hook the same computer to both at the same time. But unless you pay for multiple IP's, I don't think you can connect that way. I believe the DHCP server is only active when offline, before it connects and gets its IP address from the headend. From that point the DHCP server is shutoff and the SB5120 needs a router to connect multiple computers to the internet, unless you pay for multiple IP's.

This post made my day. I happen to read the FAQ after you mentioned it. I hope it works.

[SpaceCowboy706]

Unless your leasing multiple IP addresses from your ISP its not going to work. You need to use a router / hub/ switch in conjunction with the modem