Making a home network

[Oaty]

What's the best way to connect 2 computers, I talked my wife into playing games with me. The most expensive part will be the cable as it needs to run 40 feet. they both have network cards and the older one has a dial up modem too.

So what kind of cable and will windows xp notice a network connection right away and prompt how to connect them.

[Lemur]

This is the cheapest way to get two PCs talking.

However, if you want to share the internet, this is probably best. We're not talking about big spending sprees, here.

[whyidie]

If internet sharing is likely, I'd consider a router.

[caravel]

Your best bet is to use a cat5e crossover cable. A switch is not needed to connect 2 machines. If you're going to share an internet connection, which I would say that you quite obviosuly are, you still only need the crossover cable. The connection can be shared using XPs ICS/Firewall service. This is basically a NAT router, and will serve your purpose. If you do want a hardware solution, then you'll need something like a 4 port router and dsl modem combi not a basic 10/100 network switch.

[Lemur]

Since there seems to be anti-switch sentiment, I've edited my original reply to a more conventional broadband router. Still nice and cheap.

It's worth noting that if you use on PC to host the internet connection for another, you need to be aware of a couple of things. (1) The hosting PC will need two ethernet ports, and (2) the hosting PC will need to be on whenever you hope to connect the other PC to the internet.

For reasons of electrical bills alone, I'd recommend spending the $50 or so for a hardware solution. Assuming, of course, that you're looking to share an internet connection.

[Blodrast]

What's the best way to connect 2 computers, I talked my wife into playing games with me. The most expensive part will be the cable as it needs to run 40 feet. they both have network cards and the older one has a dial up modem too.

So what kind of cable and will windows xp notice a network connection right away and prompt how to connect them.

And not in the least, congratulations for convincing your wife to play games with ya!

[whyidie]

Since there seems to be anti-switch sentiment, I've edited my original reply to a more conventional broadband router. Still nice and cheap.

It's worth noting that if you use on PC to host the internet connection for another, you need to be aware of a couple of things. (1) The hosting PC will need two ethernet ports, and (2) the hosting PC will need to be on whenever you hope to connect the other PC to the internet.

For reasons of electrical bills alone, I'd recommend spending the $50 or so for a hardware solution. Assuming, of course, that you're looking to share an internet connection.

I'm not anti-switch in general. I actually have that switch on my desk at work. Oddly enough I also have that very router at home. Not that I'm all Linksys all the time, but when that router came out it was the stuff for home.

[caravel]

I have set up the BEFSR81 small networks. It is the 8 port switch version of the BEFSR41. Basically this is a cable router, not for DSL because it doesn't have a built in dsl modem, though it can be used with dsl, but you'll need another 1 port modem/router (not a usb modem) with an ethernet port, which will have to operate in bridged mode. The BEFSR41 router will perform the PPPoE, not the other modem. The BEFSR41/BEFSR81 only works in PPPoE anyway, not PPPoA. If you're in the US that's not really a problem as all seem to use PPPoE anyway. In the UK BT does now support PPPoE but you still can't connect to your ISP with the BEFSR41/BEFSR81 because there is simply no where to plug your dsl line into (it's not a dsl modem).

[Xiahou]

Since there seems to be anti-switch sentiment, I've edited my original reply to a more conventional broadband router. Still nice and cheap.

But it's still a switch on the lan-side.... no getting away from it.

Honestly, I cant think of a good reason not to go with a hardware solution for Internet sharing. Using ICS to make an XP workstation available to the Internet is just frightening to me....

I suppose there are some good Linux solutions, but why bother? You can spend just a few bucks and get a reliable device that's virtually plug&play.

[caravel]

The switch in itself is not the issue, routers have inbuilt switches, it's just that with a basic switch you'll need to set up a workstation as your router and if that's a windows firewall/ics based setup, then it get's risky, security wise. When it comes down to just two pc's connected via a usb modem, or a cable modem connected via a second ethernet port, the switch is completely redundant anyway as no switching will occur (in this case only crossover cable is needed).

[Oaty]

And not in the least, congratulations for convincing your wife to play games with ya!

Woot!! and now that she'll have access to the internet on her own computer I won't be running into the pron that she dl's on my computer while I'm at work or asleep. Good thing she hates totalwar so theres no chance of her running across this post, sparing me my life.

Thanks for all the replies and tips.

Anyways we decided on a wireless network as for the wired method it would require over 50 feet of cable to run it through the walls. Thought of connecting them when needed via wire but there were dogs and trip ups to factor in.

So what software is recomended (any free) to secure a wireless neetwork.

I'll also be needing a firewall and antivirus and anti spyware. I'll use the same on hers as on mine unless there bigger better free ones out there

Currently on mine I'm using Zonealrm, AVG virus control and windows defender beta 2, and will be needing wirelss security.

Thanks for anymore help you can send my way

[Oaty]

Well got a wireless router and a d-link for the other computer. Anyways got both computers connected to the internet however, after running the network wizzard, I cannot get the computers to talk to each other. I marked files to be shared but cannot get access to either computer from one or the other. On my computer the other one shows up but I cannot access it, and on my wifes I cannot see mine yet alone access it.

K got it running using Network Magic Works niceley. comes with a free 30 day trial, even though it corrected all the problems I just may buy it at the end of the 30 day trial

[Geezer57]

Anyways we decided on a wireless network as for the wired method it would require over 50 feet of cable to run it through the walls. Thought of connecting them when needed via wire but there were dogs and trip ups to factor in.

For anyone who is also in Qaty's situation (I know he already went wireless), you should know that there is another option: powerline networking. It's just as secure as wired (because it is!), and is much faster than wireless. If you are considering adding a remote computer location, but don't have to be truly mobile, then powerline networking is probably your best option.

You can see what kinds of hardware are available by looking here: http://www.newegg.com/ProductSort/Su...ubCategory=294

[Lemur]

I cannot get the computers to talk to each other. I marked files to be shared but cannot get access to either computer from one or the other. On my computer the other one shows up but I cannot access it, and on my wifes I cannot see mine yet alone access it.

For what it's worth, I have found ZoneAlarm to be problematic when attempting to file share between Windows PCs. Even after you designate a zone to be low security, even after you tell it a certain IP address is to be trusted, even when you dial everything down, it still manages to block shared folders. I don't really know what the fix is.

Mine is to turn off ZoneAlarm whenever I need to share a folder.

[caravel]

If we're talking Zonealarm PRO here, there are options that will get it working. For Zonealarm it's a no go. Your file sharing, and routing won't work properly if at all unless you basically turn off the firewall. This is because you already have a firewall running (Windows ICS/Firewall service is a software NAT firewall/router).

Disabling the Windows ICS/firewall (not the service) and setting up a gateway software as you have is another solution.

Personally I would have ditched ZA and just ran the windows firewall. I don't rate ZA and it's overly paranoid "scareware" approach. It's so common to see people's stories on messageboards about how they installed ZA and "OMG I was like, hit 16 times in 5 minutes by hackers!!" etc etc. These so called "high rated alerts" are in fact innocent internet traffic, and not a legion of hackers besieging your pc. A personal (software) firewall based on the local machine is never a substitute for a well updated OS, anti spyware/virus software, a sensible approach to your internet usage and, preferably, a hardware based firewall/router.