does a router slow down the internet speed since it has to go thru the router?

[ssgohan434]

i know if more computers are using it at the same time then, but what if only one computer is actively using it and others are just hooked to the router but no using the internet?

[AZN]

NO

[Ben721]

Originally posted by AZN
NO

In other words no.

You should recieve the same speeds on both computers.

[DDR-PIII]

thats right :)

[MicrosoftMaster]

they are correct.... the correct term is known as "Full Duplexing"

[flux]

Actually thats not totally correct. There will be a slight speed loss due to the router thinking about where to send the packet, but it's so quick you will never ever notice. You'd need some pretty impressive equipment to measure the delay on a small network.

But basically, no.

[Kinerry]

Actually the router boosts your signal strength so it actually goes faster in most cases!

[su root]

By having extra computers sitting idle, then NO, it won't effect your internet connection. If the computers have programs installed that will occasionally check for updates or mail or whatever (XP likes to do things behind your back, like check for updates and mail for every user on the computer). Those will take up "insignificant" ammounts of bandwidth.. you should never be able to feel them (unless it's actually downloading an update).

The router doesn't speed up your commmunications, it takes it off one wire, cleans it up, amplifies it, and puts it on another wire. The speed of it will remain the same, and it will have the signal strength for another 100m, almost any switch, router, or hub will do this.

Having a router instead of a hub will slow down the communications "by nanoseconds" while the router figures out what to do with each packet.