Connecting multiple computers via network switch

[sTaLkEr01O]

Hey guys, I have a rare problem. In my dorm room there are 2 ethernet sockets. To connect we use SecureW2 authentication. For sake of LAN gaming today we bought a switch and tried to connect 3 laptops. 3 ethernet cables (not crossover) from switch to laptops, and one cable from switch to the socket. Problem is that only the first one to connect to the switch would get a connection and once others connect, nobody has a connection. We tried disabling automatic IP and using 192.168.1.1. - 192.168.1.2. and so on... Nothing seems to work. Any suggestions to what else to try? Also if we bought crossover cables instead would we be able to connect into LAN with the switch, without having to connect it to the ethernet socket? Or what kind of a router we could alternatively buy that could handle the authentication?
Much thanks

 

[Alabalcho]

Talk to your dorm' network administrator. There is a good chance each Ethernet drop is limited to just one connection from the "other end" of the wire.
Cross-over cables will not help.

 

[bill001g]

This is one of those things that you first must find out if they intentionally limited the port to 1 device. When you are using commercial equipment like a college would they can use features to only allow 1 device. If they were to use something like 802.1x with certificates on the switch ports it is practically impossible to get past that.

If they do not have a limitation they likely can recommend what you are doing wrong.