Home networking

[Instinct7]

Hello,

Thank you for the way you have being helping everybody. Please am writing you to ask for your help on how to set up home network that involves two computers, three network adapters (ethernet cards) etc. One computer which is pen III 600MHZ is running windows xp pro contained two network cards and the other computer is AMD 1, 3mhz and its running windows server 2003 enterprise and one network card.

Please I beg for your detail explainations on how to go about setting up home network for these two computers and the best method to adopt, please your urgent help will be highly welcome, thank you.

Instinct

[amdphr3@kXP]

What speed are your Network cards? If they are 10/100Mbit, and you only want the two pc's on the network, I would suggest investing in a cat5e crossover cable. You can purchase these from any computer or electronics store. However, if you later decide that you will want more than 2 pc's on the network, you will require a hub or switch, and regular cat5e patch cables. Once again, you can get these from your local computer or electronics store.

The next part, configuring your network in software. Im assuming that you will want to share an internet connection? If so, you will need to use TCP/IP protocol on both machines. This will require you to go into your network properties window and selecting the tcp/ip protocol that is bound to your network card. Click on this protocol and click the properties button. In the IP address box, i would recommend using a basic IP address such as 100.0.0.1 for one machine, and a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0. These are typed into the corresponding boxes.

Now you need to configure the other pc. You need to go into your network properties window again, click the tcp/ip protocol that is bound to the network card that you are using, and click properties. For the IP address on the second machine, use 100.0.0.2, and a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0.

To use the net on the machine that doesn't have a physical connection i.e dsl/dial up, you will need to configure your browser in the internet options for IE. Click the connections tab, click the lan settings button, and click the check box labelled use a proxy server. For the address, type in the ip address of the internet enabled pc, i.e 100.0.0.1, or 100.0.0.2, depending on what pc your net is connected to. In the port box, type 80.

Well hope ive given ya the guideance you were after, i tried to explain it as best as i could in a post. Good luck

[XPerties]

you will require a hub or switch, and regular cat5e patch cables.  Once again, you can get these from your local computer or electronics store.

Correction. A hub and /or switch will not spoof your IP and create internal IP's.

Easy way to be honest is grab yourself a linksys ( I prefer them ) or any other router ( D-links are good also ). Using rj-45 ethernet cable connect the modem to the router ( WAN slot ), out from router starting with slot 4 on the router run rj-45 ethernet to your first PC, and slot 3 to the last PC.

Linksys comes with a manual on how to set them up after that, altho most of the time all you have to do is reboot your modem, then router, then both PC's and all is good.

I recommend the linksys BEFSR41 as it has a built in firewall and one of the best for the price.

Good luck!

[Computer Commando]

...Using rj-45 ethernet cable connect the modem to the router ( WAN slot ), out from router starting with slot 4 on the router run rj-45 ethernet to your first PC, and slot 3 to the last PC...

Correction to you. From the Linksys BEFSR41 manual:

"NOTE: For ease of installation, start with LAN Port 4, then Port 3, then Port 2, and finally Port 1."

It does not matter which ports you connect, pick any 2 of the 4 for your 2 computers.

[gamehead200]

I recommend the linksys BEFSR41 as it has a built in firewall and one of the best for the price.

The BEFSR41 (4-ports) and the BEFSR81 (8-ports) are exactly the same, other than the fact that the second one has 4 extra ports (which I have and works great!)!

[XPerties]

...Using rj-45 ethernet cable connect the modem to the router ( WAN slot ), out from router starting with slot 4 on the router run rj-45 ethernet to your first PC, and slot 3 to the last PC...

Correction to you. From the Linksys BEFSR41 manual:

"NOTE: For ease of installation, start with LAN Port 4, then Port 3, then Port 2, and finally Port 1."

It does not matter which ports you connect, pick any 2 of the 4 for your 2 computers.

I said that.

What correction did you make on me? *rolles eyes*

BTW as you said for ease, he is a newbie asking for help.