CM550 Cable Modem User’s Guide
Ethernet or USB?
There are two ways to connect your computer (or other equipment) to the Cable
Modem. The following will help you decide which is best for you:
Ethernet
Ethernet is a standard method of connecting two or more computers into a Local
Area Network (LAN). Use the Ethernet connection if your PC has built-in Ethernet
hardware, or does not use Windows, or you want to share the Cable Modem con-
nection with several computers.
Note:
To connect two or more computers to the Ethernet port, you need a hub
or broadband router (available at computer retailers).
The Cable Modem package comes with a 6-foot (1.9m) Ethernet cable (the connec-
tors look like wide telephone connectors); you can purchase more cables if neces-
sary at a computer retailer. If you are connecting the Cable Modem directly to a PC,
or to an Ethernet hub or broadband router with a cross-over switch, ask for
Category 5 (CAT5) straight-through cable. If you are connecting the Cable Modem
to an Ethernet hub or broadband router without a crossover switch, ask for a Cat-
egory 5 crossover cable.
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is meant for connecting a variety of accessories, such
as keyboards, mice, printers, and communications devices (including cable mo-
dems) to a single PC. Use the USB connection if you have only one computer, and
the computer is using a Windows operating system (Windows 98 Second Edition or
later), and has no built-in Ethernet hardware.
The Cable Modem package comes with a 5-foot (1.6m) USB cable; you can pur-
chase a longer cable—up to 14-foot (4.25m)—at a computer retailer. Ask for a
USB
A/B cable
—it has a long narrow connector on one end (to connect to the PC) and
a square connector on the other end (to connect to the Cable Modem).
Both
If you have two or more computers, you can connect one computer to the Cable
Modem’s USB port and one or more to the Ethernet port. To connect two or more
computers to the Ethernet port, you need a hub or broadband router (available at
computer retailers).
For more information about connecting two or more computers, contact your cable
service provider.
Ethernet Cable
USB Cable
