Network/Server help

ViperVenoM

im sure theres a lot of you out there who know a damn site more about home networking and stuff than i do..i just..dont get it

ive got my 1mb external usb ADSL modem plugged into my comp , ive got a Cat 5 cable going from that to a little hub thing under my bed...from that we have another cat cable which goes all the way downstairs to the comp in another room (the second 1 in my sig) and the laptop ..i also bought a cat cable for that so if i couldnt be bothered to go to my room id sit downstairs with the laptop on my knee and just plug the cat5 cable in

well im upgrading my main rig, my bits of this rig are going into my other rig, and with the other rigs parts and a few other bits and pieces lying around (well ive got another not bad case, a gf4 mx440 and a q-tec psu (but a solid one..unless i need a lot of power..which this wont)

all im missing is some hdd's but im thinking of setting some sort of server or something up (i download a lot of stuff and would like some more storage so i just want that on downloading maybe or something) ..ive got 320gb on this machine..but i could quite easily fill that when i get started

the question...or questions, is do i need another cat5 cable to plug this into the hub..or would i be better getting some sort of wireless kit for all 4 set ups (including the laptop) ...and is there anyway i can set my modem up so it doesnt need to be plugged into my pc, otherwise the other pcs can only go online when my main rig is turned on ..which defeats the object of if i just wanna lie in bed with my lappy and surf the net...with my main pc still on

i dont know how to go about this at all..whether i need some new stuff, or i need to plug the modem into the hub ..somehow ..or anything

i could really do with some advice on how to set my server "up"..i dont really know what im gonna do with it, but its pointless letting all the bits go spare , and how to tackle the modem..issue, thx for any help guys im a total network n00b

ShiverinEskimo

You need a broadband router. It will distribute your net connection for you and most broadband routers come with a hub onboard so all your comps just plug straight in.

This router will assign your ip address automatically so you shouldn't even need to worry about that. they aren't expensive either. i just bought one from komplett for 40 quid.

Now if you want to maybe combine a wired network for your desktops and a wireless access for your laptop you will require a wireless router with 4 port switch like this http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=302437&cks=PRL. This will do the job of the above and also provide you with a wireless connection. That way your desktops have wired, and your laptop remains mobile throughout your house (and garden if your lucky).

You should be able to incorate both of the above for less than 100 quid. of course your laptop will need a wireless pc card.

Before getting wireless together though note the thickness and material in the walls in your house. Shouldn't be an issue if your house is fairly new or a normal town house.
My house is old victorian stylee (not posh, just old) the average solid brick wall is 15 inches thick so no chance for me to go wireless.

For all of the above you are going to need a fairly decent knowledge to set it up. wireless i find can be the most difficult but still not that difficult.

best of luck with it.

Shiv

ShiverinEskimo

Oh and as regards to your server.
If you can get a copy of server 2003 or the like when your installing you can specify what type of server you want it to be and it will set it up automatically for the most part. SOunds like you want a file server. its easy to set it up.

If you cant get server 2003 and the like just add the other machine into the network and share all the drives. you should then be able to use it for storage and stuff but not as efficiently perhaps.
Maybe someone else has more experience in running a server at home...

ViperVenoM

hmmm

interesting advice, thx

this house was built in 1970's i think..mainly plasterboard walls with metal supports..., something like that not very thick though...i got angry 1 day and put my fist through one..and it definetly wasnt 15" thick lol

ill look into this server 2003..and see if anyone else can also add some pointers..as im really at a loss with all these :rolleyes:

but thx anyway

ShiverinEskimo

I fi tried that i'd have knuckles in my elbow.

your house will be fine for wireless. a rented house i had sounds similar to yours and it was fine. just be aware of radiators and stuff

you might wanna make a thread about how best to set up a fileserver...

shiv.

ViperVenoM

lol

its just my mums going on about the wires ..women :rolleyes:

if it shuts her up then its worth the price

so i could still do with some advice on wireless networking (how to do it..bits ill need..and what do i do so i dont need my pc to be plugged in)...as despite being told i CAN do it..it still sounds a little over my head :eek:

just reading about server 2003 now :eek: ...

ShiverinEskimo

the router i mentioned will distribute to all pc's. you leave the router on permanently (its not noisy and it can be quite discreetly hidden.)

Every time a pc is switched on it will request an IP from the router and then thats it connected. no pc will have to remain on for the other pc's to get net access.

Wireless is not that difficult. just be sure the router you buy has the same standard as the card for your laptop eg, 802.11b or 802.11g (g is the fastest, but b is just about standard at the mo)

your best bet is to install the hardware power up and twiddle with it until it works, just as you would do a normal network. there is the issue of WEP which is like a secutirty code. but thats just somethiing that needs to be entered into your laptop so that is can authorise itself when trying to talk to your router.

I made it sound daunting. but its not that bad. I had no experience of wireless networking and i gave it a lash and it worked. I'm sure it'll be the same for you.

Oh and on the cable/mum issue. Just say that unless you run a cable it is likely she will never see you round the house again because you will be forced to remain in your room. You may find this sways her towards cables if she loves you.
of course that could backfire and she could buy you a lock for your bedroom door.

ShiverinEskimo

the network/comms section has a section dealing with broadband and wireless and the whole lot. you will have plenty of help.

this one is talking about routers including the one you need (combined wired and wireless): http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=108420

ViperVenoM

lmao she doesnt see me anyway ....once i got my own sky in my room 2 months ago..ive only gone down to use the kitchen and bathroom facilitys......she just finds wires ugly and in the way..when..they dont even bother me or my dad :rolleyes:

about this router..then, so do i plug my modem directly into that....

then i plug both the pcs into the router also...or can this be done wireless as well as the laptop or can the laptop be the only wireless ..thing

sorry im up and down all over...weve just got a new dog...and hes into crying every 2 seconds when u dare to leave him mode

edit: ..ah thx , u posted that while i was postin this..ill take a read now

ShiverinEskimo

this would be perfect for you:
http://www.netgear.com/products/prod_details.php?prodID=223

tomk

If you feel like venturing outside your Windoze comfort zone, Linux would be perfect for your file server, and a lot cheaper than Server 2003.

Plenty of advice available - pop over to the Unix forum, or google away.

ViperVenoM

ill try anything..just ive never actually seen linux running on anything else than just pictures in books..so i wouldnt really know how to go about doing that but im liking the sound of cheap

ill take a look through both the networking and unix bits..thx

ShiverinEskimo

there's a large obsession with linux round here. I've never used myself and i understand it can be far better but harder to pick up perhaps? the debate goes on without me.

and btw, i wasn't telling him to buy server 2003 if you know what i mean.

vibe666

ShiverinEskimo wrote:

and btw, i wasn't telling him to buy server 2003 if you know what i mean.

:eek:

don't say that too loud around here, or you'll get jumped on by mods and do gooders. the fact of the matter is, that if anyone is to get experience of windows server 2003 outside of working in a top notch corporation that uses it then you'll have to find other means of aquiring it.

personally if he has no linux experience then steer clear until you do. by all means install it on a second pc/laptop and play with it until you are familiar, but don't jump in with both feet until you know how deep you need to get into it to do it properly.

as for the network this would probably be the simplest way of representing what you'll want to do with it (probably, unless you have other ideas. it is your network after all).

apologies for the crappy artwork btw, but I'm not an artist.



this way you can connect up to 4 PC's with CAT5 and lots of others with wireless NIC's and if you ever get to the point where you need more than 4 wired network points you can just add another router to your setup with a crossover cable and expand away. the router to modem cable should be crossover to afaik, btw.

ViperVenoM

*gets comfy with a cup of cocoa and tries to understand all that *

ive got 2 15m cat5 cables and a 5m cat5...so i need a router and some sort of wireless...thingy then?

ShiverinEskimo

the link for the router i gave up above will be fine for that. you would plug two of your desktops into the router via cable.
and communicate with it wirelessly from your laptop.

your cable modem will connect to the router. then use two of your cat5 to connect two of your desktops. that should then work with the minimum of tweaking etc.
Get a wireless card for your laptop, then set up the wireless network.
That can be a LITTLE tricky, but if you cant manage it just come back here or to the wireless section with questions.

Oh for expansion later, rather than another router, a wee hub connected anywhere will do the job. they ar dirt cheap too.

You may need a crossover cable to go from your adsl/cable modem to the router. check with the manual for your cable modem and/or the manual that will come with your router.

vibe666

ShiverinEskimo wrote:

You may need a crossover cable to go from your adsl/cable modem to the router. check with the manual for your cable modem and/or the manual that will come with your router.

yeah, i'm fairly sure about that too. i have an AP with a crossover going straight to my dsl modem which is working fine.

afaik if you are plugging something other than a hus/switch/router into something else that isn't one of those three then you need a crossover cable, and if you have one of those three plugging into another one of those three then you need a crossover cable. but apart from that normal (non-crossed over) cable is what you need.

i think i might have just confused you even more there.