Hi,
Ok. I want to network my two computers so they can share my cable internet access as well as transfer files between both the computers. But I'm a newbie at networking (actually I know almost nothing). Like I don't know the difference between a hub or a router. Can you please recommend what I should buy?
1) Currently I want to have two computers networked but I also have future plans for a 3rd one to be networked.
2) One is using WinME and the other has a dual boot of WinME and WinXP. Would this cause a problem?
3) I heard that direct connections are not possible?? (don't know) so ICQ transfers and making a FTP server is not possible? Is there a way to make it work? or am I confusing this problem with something else?
4) My cable modem is connected to a eternet card.
Any help is appreciated. And thanks in advance for any replies.
Newbie at networking
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Firestorm ZERO
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- Location: Toronto, Ontario CANADA
possible option
I guess the best way for you is to go ahead and buy a router/switch combo like the Netgear RT314 or another brand, though i recommend the Netgear stuff. I'm assuming you have an "always on" connection where you dont have to log on manually. This is probably one of the easier ways to share a connection. The userguide that comes with the netgear will probably be more than enough to get you up and running. As far as the other PC's, make sure you buy a NIC for each one and set them up with TCP/IP and point them to the router's IP in the gateway option. The userguide should show you how to do that as well. For simplicity, let the netgear be your DHCP server, you will see that option in the menu. Not the most secure setup, but will work fine. keep posting if you have anymore questions.
:2cool:
:2cool:
Yeah.. Take Alteon's advice.
Sure it is. While directly to one another within your LAN may not work, since the software will typically log on to a central server on the Internet that will in turn enable incoming peer-to-peer transfers, it is possible to just make both workstations log on to the ICQ service online, and then transfer files via ICQ. While this will slow you down since both workstations are technically sending and receiving data via a giant loop out to the net and back in your network, I would simply enable file and printer sharing, and create shares that you can access either via network neighborhood, or by directly attaching to the share via command prompt or the Map Network Drive applet.
For now, the NetGear RT314 router will do fine, unless the PC's you're networking are far apart from each other, therefore needing extra hardware like a hub. Simply connect them all to the router's LAN ports.
Let us know if you have any more questions. Hope this helps.
As long as in both OS's you specify to either use a static IP address that "talks" to your router, or enable DHCP, you'll be fine. For example, if your router's LAN IP is 192.168.0.1, then make sure your static IP is something between 192.168.0.3 and 192.168.0.254. Then again, DHCP simplifies this so I would enable DHCP with your setup.2) One is using WinME and the other has a dual boot of WinME and WinXP. Would this cause a problem?
3) I heard that direct connections are not possible?? (don't know) so ICQ transfers and making a FTP server is not possible? Is there a way to make it work? or am I confusing this problem with something else?
Sure it is. While directly to one another within your LAN may not work, since the software will typically log on to a central server on the Internet that will in turn enable incoming peer-to-peer transfers, it is possible to just make both workstations log on to the ICQ service online, and then transfer files via ICQ. While this will slow you down since both workstations are technically sending and receiving data via a giant loop out to the net and back in your network, I would simply enable file and printer sharing, and create shares that you can access either via network neighborhood, or by directly attaching to the share via command prompt or the Map Network Drive applet.
1) Currently I want to have two computers networked but I also have future plans for a 3rd one to be networked.
For now, the NetGear RT314 router will do fine, unless the PC's you're networking are far apart from each other, therefore needing extra hardware like a hub. Simply connect them all to the router's LAN ports.
Let us know if you have any more questions. Hope this helps.
OMARNYC.COM - My place on the web
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colnago1331
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- Posts: 48
- Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2001 1:40 am
Welcome to my world. I just went through this, actually. I went from absolutely no knowledge about networking to a decent amount of knowledge in about a week.
The first thing you'll probably want to do is get a 4-port router. Linksys, NetGear, SMC, D-Link - in the end I don't think it matters all that much. They're all about $100 and will all do the job just fine.
Once you get your router, you'll plug the cable modem into the WAN port and then run ethernet patch cords from each of the ports on the router to each of your computers.
Presumably, you get a dynamic IP from your ISP. If you got a static IP from them, you'll have to configure your router to show that IP.
Running an FTP server can be difficult with a router, because most (if not all of them) have firewalls. In case you don't know, this prevents others from "entering" your computer and taking or leaving things (like viruses). Most routers, however, can be configured so that certain "ports" are open. This, IIRC, is referred to as "tunnelling." The usual FTP port is 21, I believe, and so you would have to configure your router to allow traffic through that port, and that port only.
You can check out the following websites for more information:
http://www.practicallynetworked.com
http://www.dslwebserver.com
and of course, http://www.speedguide.net.
The first thing you'll probably want to do is get a 4-port router. Linksys, NetGear, SMC, D-Link - in the end I don't think it matters all that much. They're all about $100 and will all do the job just fine.
Once you get your router, you'll plug the cable modem into the WAN port and then run ethernet patch cords from each of the ports on the router to each of your computers.
Presumably, you get a dynamic IP from your ISP. If you got a static IP from them, you'll have to configure your router to show that IP.
Running an FTP server can be difficult with a router, because most (if not all of them) have firewalls. In case you don't know, this prevents others from "entering" your computer and taking or leaving things (like viruses). Most routers, however, can be configured so that certain "ports" are open. This, IIRC, is referred to as "tunnelling." The usual FTP port is 21, I believe, and so you would have to configure your router to allow traffic through that port, and that port only.
You can check out the following websites for more information:
http://www.practicallynetworked.com
http://www.dslwebserver.com
and of course, http://www.speedguide.net.
A hub is basically a splitter for ethernet cables. Whatever bandwidth goes into it is split between all the connected computers. Whatever info is sent through the hub gets sent to all the computers, even though it's only intended for one of them. The others just ignore the data. A router can determine which computer a particular piece of data should go to, so it doesn't waste bandwidth sending it unnecessarily to the others. A switch let's all the computers use the full available bandwidth.
If you get a router with a built in switch, then it's the best of both worlds, and you can connect all the computers to it. You also only need one extra piece of hardware (the router), which makes it simpler, and the routers with built in switches are typically less expensive than buying a router and a switch separately. As far as I know, the only difference between a router and a broadband router is that the broadband one has special capabilities useful for connecting to a DSL or cable modem, like it can clone a MAC address, store your user name, password, etc, for your account.
Now, I don't think you'd be able to use a hub to share your internet connection unless you either have one IP address per computer, or you'd need to put a second NIC into one computer, and have is act as the gateway/router. A router also lets you have one "real" IP address that is visible to the outside world, and then up to like 254 private IP addresses that are only visible within your network, which in this case I think just means you house. This is called network address translation, NAT for short. NAT also has the added benefit of acting as a firewall, protecting all your computers from the outside relatively well. Since your computers are on a private network with "fake" IP addresses, nobody outside can get to your computer by typing in your IP address.
And colnago1331, I just went through all this recently too, but it was in January. I did a lot of research online about setting up a network. The only advice that I read online that I shouldn't have followed was about making your own ethernet cables. I read that you didn't need a crimper to do it, that you could just use a screwdriver to attach the plastic connector to the ends of the cables. I guess technically you could do it, (I tried and failed) but it's SO much easier with a crimper. Also, all the places that said to use one didn't specify that there's a special kind of crimper for ethernet, as opposed to one just used for generic electrical wiring. I got one a couple months ago though, courtesy of the company that did the wiring and my parents' office.
The guy left it there, and they never called back to see if we had it, so I considered it a "gift" (worth like $30 at radio shack for an identical one).
If you get a router with a built in switch, then it's the best of both worlds, and you can connect all the computers to it. You also only need one extra piece of hardware (the router), which makes it simpler, and the routers with built in switches are typically less expensive than buying a router and a switch separately. As far as I know, the only difference between a router and a broadband router is that the broadband one has special capabilities useful for connecting to a DSL or cable modem, like it can clone a MAC address, store your user name, password, etc, for your account.
Now, I don't think you'd be able to use a hub to share your internet connection unless you either have one IP address per computer, or you'd need to put a second NIC into one computer, and have is act as the gateway/router. A router also lets you have one "real" IP address that is visible to the outside world, and then up to like 254 private IP addresses that are only visible within your network, which in this case I think just means you house. This is called network address translation, NAT for short. NAT also has the added benefit of acting as a firewall, protecting all your computers from the outside relatively well. Since your computers are on a private network with "fake" IP addresses, nobody outside can get to your computer by typing in your IP address.
And colnago1331, I just went through all this recently too, but it was in January. I did a lot of research online about setting up a network. The only advice that I read online that I shouldn't have followed was about making your own ethernet cables. I read that you didn't need a crimper to do it, that you could just use a screwdriver to attach the plastic connector to the ends of the cables. I guess technically you could do it, (I tried and failed) but it's SO much easier with a crimper. Also, all the places that said to use one didn't specify that there's a special kind of crimper for ethernet, as opposed to one just used for generic electrical wiring. I got one a couple months ago though, courtesy of the company that did the wiring and my parents' office.
The guy left it there, and they never called back to see if we had it, so I considered it a "gift" (worth like $30 at radio shack for an identical one).It's better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
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colnago1331
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- Posts: 48
- Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2001 1:40 am
Wow, nice "gift."Originally posted by ncswimmer
And colnago1331, I just went through all this recently too, but it was in January. I did a lot of research online about setting up a network. The only advice that I read online that I shouldn't have followed was about making your own ethernet cables. I read that you didn't need a crimper to do it, that you could just use a screwdriver to attach the plastic connector to the ends of the cables. I guess technically you could do it, (I tried and failed) but it's SO much easier with a crimper. Also, all the places that said to use one didn't specify that there's a special kind of crimper for ethernet, as opposed to one just used for generic electrical wiring. I got one a couple months ago though, courtesy of the company that did the wiring and my parents' office.
I haven't tried to put standard RJ45 plugs on the ends of my wires yet. Instead, I put RJ45 jack boxes, which was much easier than I expected. Then I ran patch cables from the box to each computer. My router actually came w/ two patch cables, so luckily I didn't have to buy any. Plug ends are my next step. In between I've learned how to run coaxial cable lines and put on new ends after cutting coax wires. All this for a guy w/ English and Law degress. 
You have no idea how many ends I wasted trying to do it with a screwdriver and a hammer. So until I got my gift, We just used the cables that we already had, which weren't quite long enough to use properly. My computer is right next to the modem and router, so it was fine for me, but the family computer is in another corner of the room, across diagonally. The longest cord I had reached, but only if you stretched it across the room diagonally. And the laptop had to go on top of the credenza (sp?) because the desk it goes on is too far away for the remaining cords. Now I have the cords strung along the baseboard around the room. I don't think we could've installed jacks in this room if we'd wanted to, because it's an extra room, it was originally part of the storage room in the basement, but we had the builders convert it, but the walls are cinder block behind the dry wall. Oh well, it works well enough.
It's better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.