Will this work?

[TheGreatSatan]

Can I use a splitter (http://www.cyberguys.com/product-details/?productid=14738) to have two computers connected to one cable Modem? I don't want to get a router and thought this would be cheaper

[OvRiDe]

Unfortunately that will not work for you. Those are similar to my Ethernet and Telephone over one Cat 5 project. http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15961 These are just designed to be used with a patch panel instead of a patch cable.

You will need some sort of networking equipment in order to split the signal up. A router is your best bet, but in some cases you may be able to get away with a simple hub or switch.

[TheGreatSatan]

If I take the antennae's off a router does it lose the wireless option? Wired routers are getting harder and harder to find these days

[billygoat333]

It probably won't broadcast as far. but you should be able to shut off the wireless in the firmware, depending on the router you get.

[x88x]

If you take off the antennae, it cuts the broadcast signal enough that it's negligible, but yeah, if you really need it to not broadcast, you should turn it off in the firmware too.

[nevermind1534]

I can pick up the wifi signal from my router, and get decent speeds with no antenna attached to the computer.

If you don't want wireless, I have a one port wired-only router that I'd be willing to sell for cheap (I could include a switch cheap, as well if you need one).

[BuzzKillington]

I'd say just pick up a cheapo 4 port hub for <$10.

[OvRiDe]

A hub might or might not work. It depends if the ISP allow more then one IP address to be assigned per client.

Something like this is pretty cheap and should work for you. Not sure if it has many bells and whistles.

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/612245/TRENDnet-TW100-S4W1CA-Cable-DSL-Router/

[TheGreatSatan]

I'll get a wired one online. I don't understand switches and hubs and what they do/do not do????

[nevermind1534]

Give you more ports if the thing they're plugged into is a router. I guess they just manage the traffic. A router with multiple ports has a switch built in.

Looks like this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833127091) might be your best deal for wired, unless you want gigabit.

[slaveofconvention]

Switches/Hubs - basically not much different to a power strip for data instead of mains electricity - the incoming network signal is redistributed to all of the other ports. The main difference between a hub and a switch is that a hub sends all of the information to all of the computers connected, relying on them to ignore it if it's not for them, where a switch "knows" which computer the data is for and only sends it to that one. As a result, over time, a switch will be faster than a hub, but it's a tiny difference on small networks (2-5 units) - and a HUGE difference on large ones (50+ units) and varies in-between.