An EthernetBridge is used to connect networks together. It works at the data link layer, taking all traffic from one side and transmitting it across the other, bridging the network segments.

If you are too cheap, or poor, to buy a switch and you have spare patch (crossover) cables and network cards it relatively straight forward to network three, or more, PCs together by using the middle PCs as bridges.

Details of setting up a simple bridge in debian based distributions.

Modifications to /etc/network/interfaces

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet manual

auto eth1
iface eth1 inet manual

auto br0
iface br0 inet static

bridge-ports eth0 eth1
address 10.0.0.2
netmask 255.255.255.0
gateway 10.0.0.1
network 1.2.3.0

Notes:

1. The network option may not be needed, but if you know what you are doing, add it.
2. Do not assign either of the interfaces any address etc.

Part of CategoryNetworking