[techtalk] router/switch question

[Tania M. Morell]

Hi,

I have dsl at home.  The dsl modem has a single port to which I have an 8
port netgear switch connected.  My dsl service includes 5 static ips so we
have 5 cables connected to the switch (going to 4 computers and 1 linksys
cable/dsl router).  The router is just a gateway for the fifth ip so we have
about 3 computers hooked up to that now using natted ip's.

I noticed yesterday that while downloading someing to one of the machines
connected to the router, it was causing tons of activity on the other 4
ports of the switch. It was the bottom row of lights which display
"Green=Rx/Tx, Yellow=collisions".  It's hard to tell with those lights
whether they're flashing green or yellow.  If I had to guess i'd say they
were flashing green.      This seems odd to me because I know these packets
shouldn't be getting broadcast to the other machines.  It's a switch, not a
hub.   The only ports I expected to see activity on are the ones to the
router and dsl modem.  My brother's machine is connected to the router as
well and I can't recall ever seeing all this activity when he downloads
something or is playing a game.     Does anyone have an idea whay i would
see all the flashing and blinking on all other ports with this new machine?

-T

         T a n i a
www.myquadrant.net