Home Networking

[Guest]

Hi, i have two computers they both have a NIC in them i want to network the two. I want to know what i need to buy, like a hub or a router. What is the main difference between the two. And i want to share my dsl connection with these computers, and in the future i might add more computers to the network. Do i just need a hub or do i need to buy a hub.?
thanks

 

[Bubba]

Sounds like you need a router.

 

[Lucol]

If you're only going to be hooking up 2 computers, all you need is a crossover cable. It's a regular UTP cable, but it's got the wiring in a different order, if I'm not mistaken, they are inverted. As for sharing the DSL conection, I really couldn't help you on that one, but it's probably not too complex once you get the 2 communicating.

 

[Arrow]

If your ISP gives you 2 IPs, then all you really need is a hub.
If not, you can get a router, or you can configure your computers in server-client configuration. This can be done with various software packages and a little hardware work.

Rob
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[Guest]

Look into the Linksys DSL/Cable router. It comes built in with a 4 port switch (just like a hub). Only $160 and it will do everything you need...

 

[manish]

I have the same config at my home, and I use only a CAT5 cable (UTP) to connect the two. Just two RJ-45 jacks at the ends of the cable, and insert them into the two NICs, and your computers are connected. A Hub/Switch etc. is needed really for 3 or more computers.

As for Internet Connection Sharing, Windows ME includes support for this option (infact, it calls this option as "Home Networking") and if you install Windows ME on the computer with connection to DSL, it will share it with the other computer, given Win95/Win98/WinME is installed on the other. Otherwise, if you don't want to install Windows ME, you can use third-party-software to have Internet Connection Sharing - which are, in my opionion, not too expensive.

 

[Guest]

Only problem with that kind of setup is it's very insecure. Make sure you're running a firewall if you're going to share an Internet connection and run a LAN. Either that or unbind TCP/IP from the client for Microsoft Networks and install IPX/SPX or NetBEUI and let your PCs use that protocol for file sharing. But that solution still leaves you open to denial-of-service attacks.

There are a lot of bored people out there, as my Linux-based router's system logs can attest to.

---
Dave Farquhar
author, <i>Optimizing Windows for Games, Graphics and Multimedia</i> (O'Reilly)
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