Do I need a router to use local network?

[HeroponLuigi]

I am completely new to all of these terms. I want to try to stream my steam games to my TV. My pc is huge and it's under the desk so moving it is a no go. Then I ran across a streaming feature which says I can stream through a local network. I believe ethernet cables are the ones that I have connected from my internet router to my gaming pc. So do I just disconnect it from the back of the router and connect that end to the other pc? Will they be able to communicate?

 

[millwright]

If it is a router, and it has an uplink port, and 4 other ports then it is a router switch combo.

You just plug the other computer into one of the free ports.

If it is a modem/router with just an in and an out, then you need to buy a switch.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100010066%208000&IsNodeId=1&bop=And&ActiveSearchResult=True&page=1

If it is just a modem, then you need a router/switch combo.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100010065%208000&IsNodeId=1&bop=And&ActiveSearchResult=True&page=1

Or the wireless version, which is wire also.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100010076%208000&IsNodeId=1&bop=And&ActiveSearchResult=True&page=1

Most Routers, except DSL are router/switch combos.

 

[rcfant89]

No you do not. A router is a device that sends data from one network to a different network. If you want to transfer data within a single network, you absolutely do not need a router.

You may need to be connected to steam (I have no idea how that application works or what it requires) and if that is the case then you will need a router (since you will be going from your LAN/local area network to steams network; a separate network).

Are you talking about using your TV as a monitor and playing the games on your TV (like with a keyboard and mouse)?

 

[Fyllehund]

The router is there to help internet traffic packages reaching the right sender/reciever.
You do not need a router to connect to a local network, a switch will do but you wont be able to get Interent to several computer without a router.

If you wanna make a small network with just a switch theres no DHCP future enabled so you have to use static IP adresses on all the computers/units connected to eachother.

You might encounter a bit of problems doing this.
I suggest you connecting all your network components to a real modem/router/switch combo.

 

[millwright]

Agreed, I had a network 30 years ago with no router, but it had minor problems, as I recall.

Not all the drives or computers would show up on every computer every time you booted.
Computers would wake, when they were not prompted to.

To be accurate, I'm pretty sure I had a hub though.

Edit
Now that I think about it, that network had a laptop, with a dial up modem, that shared the internet with 4 other computers.
That part worked flawlessly.

Can you imagine how slow that was with 2 or more computers online.