[Rob]

If it is DHCP, from a router, then installing a switch at some point in the cabling will enable more devices to be connected and each of those will receive a unique IP from the original DHCP server (or router) up to the limit of numbers of devices the server (router) can talk to.

When the NTHW clan has set up LAN parties, we've often relied on just the one broadband router, and daisy chained it's LAN connections from switch to switch to switch, each switch then havin gmultiple PCs connected in.