Sharing Broadband Query

eirman

I have two PCs networked using a crossover cat-5 cable connected to two 10/100 ethernet cards. There is no Hub/switch. The Eircom broadband modem is connected to one of the PCs by USB. At the moment the network is only used for sharing files and a printer.

My question is ... What is the simplest way of sharing the broadband connection ? Is there a software solution ? - (One PC uses WinXp the other uses Win2K). If I need a router what spec should I look for ?

All advice will be appreciated .

Capt'n Midnight

Three options:
ICS - internet connection sharing - built in to windows
if it works happy days, if it doesn't then it can be a pig to fix because its a hack

enabling routing in windows NT is a matter of ticking a box, in 2K/XP it's a reg hack - not pretty avoid unless you understand the implications.
http://www.petri.co.il/configuring_routing_in_w2k_pro_xp_pro.htm

Setup a proxy server, squidnt, analogx - there are loads of them
the advantage of this is that you don't have to mess around with windows networking settings.

Saruman

does the eircom box only have the 1 Lan part? If so buy a hub problem solved.. come on they cost about €20!

Random

The hub won't solve his problem, he'll need a router to share the net connection, and if the modem is only usb, then he'll need an ethernet modem, so he'd be best off getting a adsl modem router.

Saruman

Do eircom not supply a router? Is it not one of the Netopias he has? Or is it something else?

eirman

Thanks for the previous replies ...
The Eircom External Modem has an ethernet connection which is unused at the moment. I think this will have to be connected to a router. What type of router should I look for ? Will I have to rewire the crossover cat5 cable to a straight through connection ?

Vikings

What modem do you have? If its a netopia 3341 then all you have to do is plug usb to usb and ethernet to ethernet on your 2 systems and it *should* work fine.

eirman

IncredibleBulk wrote:

If its a netopia 3341 then all you have to do is plug usb to usb and ethernet to ethernet on your 2 systems and it *should* work fine.

It is a netopia - The problem with the above suggestiom is that I will loose my file and printer sharing between the two PCs. (Correct me if I'm wrong)

Fr0g

You could install a second NIC on the PC that is not connected to the modem by USB. Connect this computer to the spare ethernet socket on your modem and use your xover cable to connect to the other PC using the second NIC. Both computers will be connected to broadband and each other.

andrew163

[Eircom netopia thingy]
|
|
| <-- crossover ethernet cable
|
|
v
[ethernet hub]
| |
| | <-- 2 straight-through ethernet cables
| |
v v
[two computers]


the eircom modem (netopia 3341 anyway) has a router built into it, so you should be able to just hook it up to a hub or switch and it should work...

Saruman

andrew163 wrote:

the eircom modem (netopia 3341 anyway) has a router built into it, so you should be able to just hook it up to a hub or switch and it should work...

This is what i suggested, it seems the best option to me. They are cheap too.