how to set up a network??

Option 1:

Router to NIC (1) in main system (server), NIC (2) in main system connected by crossover cable to NIC (3) in second system.

Enable TCP/IP in both, enable any sharing between either, enable or install "internet connection sharing"???? (Someone confirm if this is used with routers), make sure firewall in main system isn't preventing second system from gaining access.

Option 2:

Pretty much as above, but connect each system's NIC (only one each this time) by crossover to either the router if you can, or to a hub.

<b><font color=blue>~ What do you mean "It isn't working!"...Now where's my sonic screwdriver? ~ </font color=blue></b>

awesome, thanks


I live on Mars. I know nothing. God help me when it comes to computers.

I had almost the exact same problem. I bought a hub and three Ethernet cards and some wiring. I just plugged my DSL into my comp through a Ethernet to USB adapter so that I still had my ethernet card free to connect to the hub. Then I connected my other 2 comps to the hub and installed the Internet Connection Sharing Protocol thing. Then it worked fine for the most part.

The problem with my setup was that only if my "server" was up could I access the internet through the other comps. Could you please clarify your way of connecting the network. Is it possible to be able to connect your DSL to the hub by itself so that somehow all comps can use the internet whenever. Also one thing is I have dual OS systems. I'm running WinME and also Win2K since I really dislike WinME, but a lot of programs aren't compatable, so I run WinME sometimes, but when one comp is running Win2K and the other WinME, I can't access the internet from my non-server computer. Is this just the way it is or am I doing something wrong?

My firewall tastes like burning.  

Links for both of you:

<A HREF="http://intranets.about.com/cs/basicnetworking/" target="_new">Link 1</A>

<A HREF="http://intranets.about.com/cs/homenetworking/" target="_new">Link 2</A>

<A HREF="http://www.wown.com/" target="_new">Link 3</A>

Hopefully these will give some pointers. I do recommend having a read, then posting further questions in the Network/Internet section of the forum.



<b><font color=blue>~ What do you mean "It isn't working!"...Now where's my sonic screwdriver? ~ </font color=blue></b>

yes i share broadband over a home network, i set it up myself. The PC that is connected to the internet is also connected to a network hub, so i have 2 NIC cards in it, one goes to the cable modem, one cable goes to the network switch. all the other computers connected to this switch can connect to the internet thru this main server.

the server is running WinXP Professional, I'd really recommend WinXP Pro for your server....the server must "share" the internet connection. Win XP and Win 2k are the best OS's for this. the other machines can run Win98 and upwards. One of my machines is a Mac G4 running OSX (horrible thing), all works fine Macs and PC's running and sharing files and internet together.

Also i can connect many Xbox's together thru this LAN, you've not lived until you had Halo with 16 people in the same room!!!

hub/switch to computers only require a patch cable. hub to hub requires a crossover. but 99% of the time when a hub has an uplink port, it is crossed so a patch cable will be fine.

you shot who in the what now?

Thanks for the links. I'll get to reading them right away.

My firewall tastes like burning.  

I bought the Linksys BEFW11S4 4 port wireless router for my home network. The Modem connects directly to the linksys. This way anyone can connect to the internet without having to run a server 24/7. My son ,who lives next door connects through a wireless usb. My wife and I are connected by Standard Cat5 cable . Then I have a crossover cable to a 8 port hub. Then I have another crossover cable to a WAP11 wireless Access point with a matching WAP11 at my brother-in-laws house next door. This is connected to another 8port hub. And his 3 comps are connected to it.
The linksys can handle 250 clients at a time by Internal DHCP functions or you can specify Ip addresses for each.

So yes this is the easiest way to go. No need for a server comp to be running. No need for Internet connection shareing,and no slowdown on the comp running two network cards trying to feed everbody elses internet requests.
Dosent sound like much but can be a problem if you want to game online and everyone is going through your comp also.

I aint signing nothing!!!