networking backwards

Hi all..

I was wondering...
My roommate is really fussy about his computer stuff so maybe I can work around that...
The way we have our apt set up, we have cable internet coming in and directly attached to the cable modem is a 5 port switch, allowing the four computers in our apt to access the internet. He doesn't want to change that setup, so I was wondering....

Can i use the lead coming into my room and split that with a router, so I can have two computers in my room online at the same time? I know the normal procedure is Modem - Router - Switch, but as I stated, my roommate is iffy about me touching the connection... weirdo.

I've already tried using a switch to split the connection in my room, but that seems to knock one of the three other computers in the house offline when both of my computers in my room are online... so im thinking a router would allow me to split the line coming into my room into two...

Does this work?
Is there another option?

Cheers...

It sounds like you are trying to use the same IP address on multiple computers but that isn't a good idea.

You should have your cable modem feed a cable/dsl router, and then string off however many computers locally that will share the broadband connection.

hi.. thanks...

yes, i understand your method, but would my method, going from modem to switch to router work?

Nope, the setup should be modem -> router -> switch. There are combined routers and switches if that's an option for you.
I don't know how many IP's you have available, but since you don't have a router (with NAT), I assume that you have more than one but fewer than five IP's. So you could skip the router and go modem -> switch then switch or have NAT enabled (for 'sharing' the same IP internally) on your first computer which is connected your second computer, thru two nics, a switch or whatever you want. I don't know how to set this up with windows (if connection sharing works with this setup), but with *nix it should be fairly simple.

//NoXcuz