new to networking.

[jack_d12]

hi
i've just helped my girlfriend network her new emachine with her hp using a crossover cable and a Compusa brand NIC, both from compusa, cost about 40 bucks for the card and cable. the thing i want to know is what's the difference between those cards and cable with the cards and cable on ebay ? i see 10' crossover cable cat5e for $.99 and a Nic card for $1.10 i know about shipping but that would only be around $20 total including shippng. the NIC card i saw has a Davicom DM9102AF chipset ? and the crossover cable looks alright but kind of suspicious because of the price. also crossover cables are for 2 computers only right ? can i use it to network 3 computers ? or that requires a hub already. if a hub is required can i use the cross over cables w/ it ? i'm kinda new to networking so please bare with me .. thanks ..

[bailey]

the cables will be the same, a cable is a cable

the nic will also be the same as long as they are 10/100 eathernet devices

crossover is only for two computers

to use a hub, you want to use a stright through cable

id you have a cable internet connection then you want to use a router with a switching hub built in, and all the computers will connect to the switching hub on the router with stright through cables.

[jack_d12]

but i can still use crossover cables w/o hub for cable internet right ?? any drawbacks ?

[bailey]

no I don't think so , if I understand you correctly

[gunrunnerjohn]

Use straight cables whenever possible, it's pretty rare you need a crossover cable in a plain setup.

[jack_d12]

but it is okay to use crossover cables right ? i just have them so i'd like to reuse them ... not that i'm going out just to buy crossover cables .. or maybe some day i might want to network another computer to the 2 pc network then i can just add a hub and buy another cable while still using my crossover cables ...

also a question about remote desktop under win xp .. i don't have the option under the my computer properties "remote" tab .. it only has the option to have remote assistance but no option for remote desktop(it's completely blank under the remote assistant option and i've already tried to install it from the win xp disk but it says i already have it ...). I've already added two user accounts because i read that u need to be able to have another user or something.

[Redo40]

No, you need a straight thru cat5 cable for your cable, if your going from the cable modem to your computer...you can get a 10' at Newegg (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?submit=manufactory&catalog=132&manufactory=1281&DEPA=1&sortby=14&order=1) for about $6 shipping included.

[jack_d12]

i wish i could get stuff at new egg for that cheap .. but i live in HAWAII .... i want to buy those clear panels and stuff but i can't find any here and shipping from new egg to hawaii is like 3-4 times as much as to the continental US ...

[gunrunnerjohn]

If you have NIC's, switches, or a router with auto-sensing ports, you can use a straight or crossover cable. OTOH, if you have standard ports on the devices, you need to match the type of cable to the task. Perhaps if you'd be more specific as to what you are trying to connect...