Networking help for the techies..

[Steve Randles]

I now have two comps and wish to network them and share my broadband connection between them. Both are running XP pro.

 

Which network cards would you advise me to use etc etc

[H Jampton]

Any 10/100 Mbps fast Ethernet card will do but I think you will need a router as well.

 

Have a look at the http://www.netgear.co.uk site and search for a FA311 card and a RP114 router.

You could get a DG814 ADSL Modem/Router and connect direct to that.

[Newt]

Steve - H Jampton gave you the best solution. And since the fastest broadband connection you can get is way slower than the network cards, any of them will do the job nicely so go for cheap.

 

As an alternative to the router/switch that you plug your PCs and modem into, you could opt to get a 2nd network card for one of the PCs and use ICS (internet connection sharing) that comes with all Microsoft systems from 98SE and newer. It acts as the router does so you will save a bit of money since the 2nd NIC should run you around $10-15 or so and the least expensive 4 port router/switch you can get will be more like $60.

 

But the hardware solution (router/switch) is lots more trouble-free and would certainly be my suggestion. It's the way I opted to go.

 

Netgear, Linksys, DLink, SMS all make suitable devices in the same price range and all do a good job so go with the best price you can get on one with 4 ports (your choices are single port which wouldn't do you any good, 4 port which is more than you need but will work, or lotsa ports).

 

If you want the XP systems to share files and/or printer between them, there are a couple other things you will need to do.

[Wag]

Steve, all of the above is good advice.

Depending on how far apart the PCs are you'll need a Mini Hub/Switch and two ethernet cards, plus some Cat5 cables to connect the bits together. You can now buy a full package in a box from most computer shops, have a look here:-

Linksys - Network in a box

 

If you wanted to be really swish you could go for a Wireless LAN, with wireless base station and two wireless LAN cards, but that will cost a few hundreds rather than a few tens.

 

[ 10. April 2003, 08:41 AM: Message edited by: Wag ]

[Gray-Catchpole]

the way i did mine steve was easyer than all the above get a network card for each machine 10/100 and a CAT 5 cable make sure it is a twisted pair, and use xp to set it up, really simple.

 

i also did Plods four machines the other week, and although he has a router, it took nearly all day to get all the machines seing all the machines

[Newt]

Gray-Catchpole:

the way i did mine steve was easyer than all the above get a network card for each machine 10/100 and a CAT 5 cable make sure it is a twisted pair, and use xp to set it up, really simple.

Will certainly work Gray although since he wants broadband for both he'd need a 2nd NIC for the machine that will run ICS, wingate, or whatever modem sharing program he uses. But no way as nice or reliable as using a router/switch do do the job.

 

For that matter, you can use USB networking and avoid the need to buy the ethernet network cards. Just cable from usb port to usb port. But again a matter of reliability. USB is often more trouble than ethernet NICs.

 

One of those cases where using hardware rather than software doing the job of hardware is just plain better. And at $15 for a 2nd NIC vs. $50 for the router/switch, certainly worth the money IMO.

 

[ 10. April 2003, 05:28 PM: Message edited by: Newt ]

[davidP]

If you're on a Broadband package that supplied a USB modem then check the small print as in theory they could get a little snotty if you start changing it for other modems/routers (assuming they find out). To get round it I bought a Vigor 2200USB Router which has a USB port that you plug your standard modem into. This currently costs £119 and also includes a very good built-in firewall. The NICs I have a pretty standard 3Com ones, and I also have a print server to make both printers accessible to both machine independantly. The router has operated faultlessly since I installed it and it took all of 5 minutes to do that in the first place. One of my better buys

 

[ 10. April 2003, 07:53 PM: Message edited by: davidP ]

[Wag]

Steve if you're just going to use 2 network cards and a Cat5e cable you need to make sure its a CROSSOVER cable, not a twisted pair.

As Newt says though, the best solution is a hub/switch and an NIC in each PC, with Cat5e cables to connect.

[Gray-Catchpole]

Newt,

i have braodband, and just the single card in each machine, and both use the conection fine.

[Wag]

Sorry Gray, I wasn't saying your method wouldn't work, just making sure Steve got the right kind of cable - we use your setup quite often, usually for cloning PCs.

 

[ 11. April 2003, 10:52 AM: Message edited by: Wag ]