Can I plug the cable modem directly to my hub?

you could, only if your isp gives you more than one ip address. if you just want to share the connection without having to have the computer that is sharing it on all the time, you should look into a dsl router. it will do the job you want with only one wan ip, it gives your computers internal ip addresses.

i went to the tomshardware forums and all i got was this lousy signature.

You need to either get a router (which is the easiest and offers the most flexibility/protection) or you can use your 2nd nic in your machine and run it to the other machine you want to connect to using ICS.

...

to expand on this, you can run your 2nd NIC to the hub and then run multiple PC's to the other ports. You may need a crossover cable.

<i>It's always the one thing you never suspected.</i>

I used to have 2 nics in my PC connected to the net. 1 nec to the modem, 2nd on to the hub. 3 other pc hooked to hub with net access. Had to use some NAT software tho

<A HREF="http://www.sygate.com/swat/products/gate_ov.htm" target="_new">http://www.sygate.com/swat/products/gate_ov.htm</A>

Have sence got a router. MUCH better. now any PC can get online without needing any othere PC's powered on. Also was able to remove 2nd NIC and free up a PCI slot, and "Main" PC does not have to be running the NAT software (cuts into system resources)

The router is def. the bet way to go.

Good luck,
-N-

The sum of the intelligence on the planet is a constant; the population is growing.