LAN/Broadband ... your opinions please :)

skywalker_208

Hi,

Have 2 PCs at home, currently have both connected to Broadband - one with ethernet and one through USB. Also have a little switch that i can use for the LAN but cant use Broadband and have both connected to the LAN at the same time because only one ethernet card per PC..

Anyone got any suggestions on how i could have both the LAN connected and Broadband on both PCs?

maybe buy a router? or a second ethernet card for one PC?

irlrobins

My bog standard answer to this question is the Linksys WRT54G router.

Its good, reliable, easy to use. Allows connection using cables or wirelessly or both! Networks PCs and shares broadband.

elara.ie or microaid.ie for best prices.

axer

skywalker_208 wrote:

Hi,

Have 2 PCs at home, currently have both connected to Broadband - one with ethernet and one through USB. Also have a little switch that i can use for the LAN but cant use Broadband and have both connected to the LAN at the same time because only one ethernet card per PC..

huh? have you got two broadband connections? Do you want to keep the LAN seperate to the broadband connection or are you trying to keep two networks seperated?

skywalker_208

No its one Broadband connection using a modem that has a USB interface and an Ethernet interface...

so if im using the Ethernet interface on one PC to connect to the Broadband modem... i cant connect it to the switch for the internal LAN...

Im just trying to have both PCs on the local LAN and give both internet access over the Broadband connection...

irlrobins

What model/type is the modem and switch?

Blogoffmen

you have both connected to LAN at same time but only one has an ethernet/lan card?

Run a network-cable from hub/switch to lan port on modem, connect your pc's to switch/hub enable dhcp on both pc's (to get ip from modem) and off ya go.

works with most modems here in ireland (on most zyxel/netopia models)

forget about usb if you can use lan/ethernet/network...

regards

Piusno1

(Run a network-cable from hub/switch to lan port on modem, connect your pc's to switch/hub enable dhcp on both pc's (to get ip from modem) and off ya go.)

Any chance of you explain it in more detail, have something like the same setup (tempory ) PC 1 with broadband connection via usb modem connected to PC 2 via crossover ethernet cable. Is wireless the way to go for printer/file transfer.

Blogoffmen

1. you need a network hub/switch (its a seperate box)
2. you need a (broadband/dsl)modem with LAN
3. all pc's need a network card
4. you can only use normal cables (10/100) no cross-over ones.

Connect your modem to your switch/hub the same way you connect your
computers to it. Remove your usb lead.
Enable DHCP on your LAN-connection on your computers (default on xp).
You can share printer and files much faster on wired network,
and much more hassle free.
Lan cables are allowed up to 100m in lenght.

need more?

skywalker_208

thanks for the tips. ill try them out.

But heres a little more detail anyway...

I have 2 PCs
Only 1 ethernet card per PC
Modem is a Zyxel Prestige
Switch is just a little sharkoon switch i picked up from peats.

Used to have the 2 PCs connected to the switch - so both were networked... and the Broadband modem connected to the main PC via USB...so i only had Broadband on one PC...

I have never connected both PCs to the LAN and both to Broadband at the same time as each only has one ethernet card..

t5pwr

I have this setup at home in my place http://www.netgear.com/products/details/DG834G.php

It has wireless network, wired network and it has a broadband modem. It has worked very good for me.

I have a wireless computer setup on it and another one wired into it also.

When my friends come over I allow them wireless access and share the broadband out to them. It is very easy to setup and rarely drops the connection.

Something like this is your best option... You can buy them online or get them in some of the computer shops for less then €100 and you won't need the modem that you are using now

Blogoffmen

skywalker_208 wrote:

I have never connected both PCs to the LAN and both to Broadband at the same time as each only has one ethernet card..

connect your broadband (lan port) to your sharkoon (lan port) it will most likely link it to your computers and distribute internet for both pc's.

You only need 1 lan connector on each computer.



i think pictures will help you more... or read more careful previous posts

secret_squirrel

skywalker_208 wrote:

I have never connected both PCs to the LAN and both to Broadband at the same time as each only has one ethernet card..

As long as your switch has got 3 ports you are sorted. Connect both pc's to the hub/switch and also the BB modem in the 3rd port of the hub. The only thing you might have to do is to put the ip address of the BB modem into the proxy configuration screen of your browser.

An alternative (messier) is to connect 1 pc to the modem via USB, and connect both PC's ethernet ports to the hub/switch and set up Internet connection sharing on the PC with the modem.

skywalker_208

Ok ive set it up with the Broadband line and two PCs connected to the switch... both get Broadband access now.. but i cant connect to shared folders on the LAN..

i had them setup with static IP addresses before this.. which allowed me to ping and share....

any ideas?

irlrobins

u prob have it set up to have dynamic ip addresses using dhcp. so the ip address are prob different from what you had before.

you can prob change the modem from allocating dynamic ip addresses to using static address as before, with out losing the broadband sharing capability.

check the manual to see how to do it.