General Networking Questions

[Mattman]

I'm interested in getting a small network started at my house for sharing files, internet access, and gaming http://www.pcmech.com/ubb/smile.gif. It will only involve 2 computers, but a 3rd might be added in the future. I don't know much about networking, other than a network card and a hub are required. I know that they come in either 10Mb/s or 100Mb/s. Is there an obivous difference between the two? What software and hardware is recomended? Are the "Home Network" kits recommended? How much would this cost?

TYIA

[HAL9000]

A network kit is the ideal and probably the cheapest way to get two machines network. Unless you are doing a lot of large file transfers, 10Mbps is probably fast enough. 100Mbps is 10 times faster and more effective on a larger network where there is a lot of traffic. Around where I am, there are kits with 2 NIC's, 2 cables, and a small hub (4 or 5 port) for around $100.00CDN.

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If it ain't broke, you're not pushing hard enough!

[glc]

Linksys has a new kit. It's a pair of 10/100 PCI cards, 2 cables, and a 10/100 4 port full duplex *switch*, and Internet sharing software, for just over $100 US.

[Omletteboy]

For setting up your proxy to share your internet, you can use win98 internet connection sharing. Also one of your computer must have 2 nics, the 1st nic will be for your isp, the 2nd nic will be for the internal lan.

The Linksys is a good deal as you get a switch instead of a hub.

[glc]

You only need 2 nics if you have DSL or cable.

Edited in light of the below comment...sorry I didn't make myself clear.

You only need 2 nics in one machine if you have DSL or cable. If you are using a modem connection, you only need 1 nic in each machine.



[This message has been edited by glc (edited 06-07-2000).]

[eltano1]

GLc, for either cable or dsl you will need 3 Nic cards, 2 for the one that connects to the ISP and 1 for the other one (client pc). http://www.pcmech.com/ubb/wink.gif

[HAL9000]

eltano1, I run 1 NIC in each computer connected to a hub. My cable modem is plugged into the hub through the uplink port. My ISP doesn't charge for the additional IP. So a little research (As Mattman is doing here) is required so that additional unnecessary equipment isn't purchased causing more of a headache than it's worth.


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If it ain't broke, you're not pushing hard enough!