Hooking up to Internet

[Jimbo397]

Hi all
Just finished building my first computer, thinking of a Home Network, but, for now, I have 2 computers and one hooked to the internet, (cable).
I am wondering if for the time been, I can just unplug the moden and cable from one and plug it into the other, and run the internet installation cd that i have from Shaw? Or is there a card of somekind that has to be installed also?
I am running xp home on the new one, and 98 on the old one.
Thanks..........Jim

[bailey]

I would highly recommend that you wait till you get a router to connect the cable modem into and then connect both computers into the router, you will save yourself a lot of grief that way
and I would not recommend your using the cd that they gave you, its not needed and it may install other things that you do not want.

[Kov-Ice]

Router is the way to go, but to save a bit of money you could use a crossover cable with your network cards and enable Internet Connection Sharing on the XP computer. Go to www.homenethelp.com for step-by-step tutorials.

[Jimbo397]

Ok, sounds like Router is the way to go, I have no problem with that. But, Do I have to get these network cards if I use the Router.
The computer that has the internet hooked up is an old Dell, with 98SE, and the new one has XP home.
Any advice is Greatly Appreciated..........Jim

[bailey]

each computer must have a nic installed.

[Confused]

Originally posted by Jimbo397
Ok, sounds like Router is the way to go, I have no problem with that. But, Do I have to get these network cards if I use the Router.
The computer that has the internet hooked up is an old Dell, with 98SE, and the new one has XP home.
Any advice is Greatly Appreciated..........Jim

PC's connect to the router using ethernet, therefore you need NIC's in each PC and use straight thru cables if going wired. Wireless uses different type of router and NIC's.

We're presuming that you current modem is ethernet and is connected to the one PC using a cable and that PC has a NIC.

If by chance you are using USB, post back as the router option won't work here in the states. I, again presume you live here in the states as you don't give your location.
Chas

[Jimbo397]

I am in Canada, and have a Broadband connection (cable).
I am not using a USB, looks like a large phone jack connection.
An external modem.
Does this mean that the computer that is already hooked to the internet has a NIC in it?
My new computer has a Soltec MOBO with one RJ45 connector on board for network connections. Do I still have to add this NIC to it or can I just get a router and some cables to hook them together.
Jim

[diver203_98]

Since you have an onboard NIC, hence the RJ45 connector, you will not need a NIC in that machine. But if your other machine doesn't have a NIC then you will need to get one for that machine. Then just run a cat5e or cat 6 cable from the RJ45 connectors to the router.

[Jimbo397]

Since the computer that is hooked to the cable modem has the connection that looks like a large phone jack, I think that must be a NIC also. So it seems like I should not have to install anything inside either of the computers.
So for the router (nothing is simple) will that be wired or wireless????????????
How reliable are the wireless, my computers will not be very far apart 20 or 30 feet.
For working the printer is there any special considerations or features to look for in the router.
Will a brand name router come with some cables for hooking up to the computers?
If I get a wireless, can I still wire it if I want to or have trouble with the wireless part?
Thanks for all the Help..........Jim

[bailey]

sence you already have everything you need to go wored, I would recommend going that way,
all you will need is the router with a built in switch and some cat-5 cable, and your set to go.

with wireless, yould have to get a wireless router and two wireless nic's and that would cost a bunch.

so go with wired

[glc]

You can use your existing CAT5 cable that's now connected between the modem and your nic to connect the modem to the router. You will need 2 more cables - the router will probably come with one short one, so you will probably need to buy one long one to reach from the router to the other computer.