Home network

-oRnein9-

I'm thinking of setting up a home network at the moment between two computers, one running win xp and the other running win 98, I would like to share a broadband connection and a printer between the two what do I need other that 2 network cards.
Thanks in advance

The Real B-man

well you will need a network switch(5port will do thats really the minium) and cat5 network cable and also if the computer with the printer is off and you want to print you will need a print server(not what you think very samll box with network and printer connection) also if your broadband providor is say is eircom or bt you will not need a router as your modem will act as it

Alkers

If it's just the two pc's you don't need any form of switch or hub. You can just link the pcs via ethernet and share the printer and the internet connection of the network that way. It's all quite easy to set up on Xp but I'm not sure about 98.

deckie27

Look at this offer.
2 nics, cable, and 5 port switch
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=252901

hard to beat

Dec

The Real B-man

Simona1986 wrote:

If it's just the two pc's you don't need any form of switch or hub. You can just link the pcs via ethernet and share the printer and the internet connection of the network that way. It's all quite easy to set up on Xp but I'm not sure about 98.

yeah but crossover cables are expensive in large lengths unless you can wire it yourself of course

Alkers

Suppose. You can just use a normal hub in the middle if you want to avoid crossover cables. Still works with web connection, printer sharing etc. That's what I have at home with 3 pc's and an xbox.

Mutant_Fruit

To be perfectly honest, a print server, switch, router and possibly a seperate modem aswell sounds a bit mad to me.

Why not buy a router with built in print server? Wouldnt that be handier? Its one box instead of 3/4 boxes, which means only 1 power cable instead of 3/4 power cables.

Also, dont most print servers work with the old parallel port interface, and not USB printers?

-oRnein9-

Mutant_Fruit wrote:

To be perfectly honest, a print server, switch, router and possibly a seperate modem aswell sounds a bit mad to me.

Why not buy a router with built in print server? Wouldnt that be handier? Its one box instead of 3/4 boxes, which means only 1 power cable instead of 3/4 power cables.

Also, dont most print servers work with the old parallel port interface, and not USB printers?

Any chance of a ling to something similar to the above. Alse I have eircom broadband so can I use the one modem for two comps? if so how?
Cheers

Mutant_Fruit

Maybe this: http://komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=118092&view=detailed

or maybe this: http://komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=123444&cks=PRL

deckie27

detail on post above

Kit for networking includes:
- 1x SMC 5port switch (5x 10/100-Port + Uplink Port)
- 2x 10/100 PCI Networkcard
- 2x 3m Cat5 cables

All for €25

IE. All u need

Dec

SwampThing

Simona1986 wrote:

If it's just the two pc's you don't need any form of switch or hub. You can just link the pcs via ethernet and share the printer and the internet connection of the network that way. It's all quite easy to set up on Xp but I'm not sure about 98.

Simona, with the crossover, he can't connect to the BB modem, unless a) the PC it's connected to via USB is on and b) ICS is setup on that machine.

A 5-port switch and a couple of NIC's is really the simplest solution.

uberpixie

-oRnein9- wrote:

Any chance of a ling to something similar to the above. Alse I have eircom broadband so can I use the one modem for two comps? if so how?
Cheers

Yes you can use a broadband modem for 2 comps at the same time. It has a one port router built into it which allows you to do this.

(have 6 comps running off the same connection in my gaff)

The way we have it done is we all connect into a switch which is connected to the spare LAN port on the eircom modem.

so

cat 5
1

---

|

---

| cat 5
2

---

|SWITCH |

---

|MODEM|
3

---

|

---

|

You use standard cat 5 lan cables for each computer.
(hooked to a network card in each machine of course!)

You use a cat 5 cable connected from the number 1 port on the switch to the spare lan port on your modem. (works for us anyhow)

Does your modem support wireless? If it does consider using it as it leaves a lot less cable mess. (not sure about win 98 wireless support.....)

You should see our hallway, cables everywhere, a right mess!

Alkers

Yeah - that's the set-up I have at home, main pc has to be on for the rest to have internet or printer. It's a very cheap and easy solution though.

uberpixie

Simona1986 wrote:

Yeah - that's the set-up I have at home, main pc has to be on for the rest to have internet or printer. It's a very cheap and easy solution though.

Bugger that.

Use the built in router in the eircom modem.

The router will act as the gateway to the net: you don't have to leave one machine on the whole time to act as a gate way.