2 PC Network Advice

[WhiGofDoO]

I just moved into a new home with my fiance..

We're wanting to share our cable connection, and files between the 2 PCs..

The PCs are in the same room about 20 feet apart..

Should I go with a wireless network? ( BTW - I know absolutely nothing about these).

Or should I just run the connection through a hub and run cat 5 cable around the wall (Is there a neat way to do this?)

Also, is there any performance loss with having 20 feet of cat 5 cable?

Thanks for any suggestions and help.

[edrod13]

I would proabaly just run CAT 5 cable through the wall or under the carpet if you have it in your home. It will be much cheaper than buying all the wireless equipement.

Edrod13

[Confused]

A 4 port router with switch is preferable over a hub. Gives good hardware firewall protection also. Linksys, Netgear and SMC are all good ones. I have the SMC7004 and had my two PC's up and running in about 10 minutes after connecting cables and I had never installed one before.
Chas

[freezinbutt]

Without a doubt, get yourself a router if you want to share an internet connection. You will thank yourself later.

freezinbutt

[WhiGofDoO]

What are the advantages of a router over a hub?

I've heard routers are quite a bit difficult to set up.

[freezinbutt]

Here is a good article that should answer some of your questions.

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/...bkgrounder.htm

Hope this helps,
freezinbutt

[LawyerRon]

Routers are a piece of cake to set up. Even a Lawyer can do it.


When you subscribe to an enternet service, you generally pay for one IP address. You and your girl can't log on at the same time because your provider would detect two IPs coming from your house; you and your girl's. One option is to "pay" for another IP address.

Better option: run both pc's into a router then hook the router (works kinda like a hub, but techincally superior) up to the dsl or cable line. All the pc's, whether you have 2 or 20 "hide" behind the router. The provider then only "sees" the one IP address coming from the router.

You also need a NIC (network interface card, sometimes called an "Ethernet" card) installed in each pc, and two "patch" cables to run from the router to each pc.

Therefore:
Router: about 65-75 bucks.
NIC: about 15 bucks each, more or less.
Cables: about 5-10 bucks each, more or less.

Then you can both surf the net at the same time, share files, printers, and all that good stuff.

It's not hard to do. Go for it, we'll help you.

[LawyerRon]

oops.

[WhiGofDoO]

Originally posted by LawyerRon It's not hard to do. Go for it, we'll help you.

Thanks!

I'll hold you to that.

[glc]

It takes about 5 minutes to get a Linksys router up and configured, you admin the thing with your web browser.

[WhiGofDoO]

So what would be the best router to get for my situation? Thats easy to config..

[LawyerRon]

I've set up D-Link and Netgear 4-port routers and they're both very easy to work with. I run the Netgear router. No preference over the two, go by price.

The Linksys routers are also very popular and come highly recommended too. Any of those three brands are fine.

[mikeheitz]

Linksys and DLink are the 2 most common. There really is very little difference between the two of them. Get one with a 4 port switch built in so you don't have to worry about an extra hub. I am a network admin for a living, and what everyone has said here so far is true.... ANYONE can set these things up... they are very simple... OK, I lied, my uncle couldn't set one up... but he's a moron... nevermind that...



The router will hand out addresses to the 2 PC's via DHCP. And the router's WAN connection will receive the IP address from your cable ISP. Before you know it, you'll both be online.

[LawyerRon]

WhiGo, if you haven't picked up your hardware yet, check out this link: Some very good deals on parts this weekend... for a killer deal this weekend.