Installing a Network

[EpidemiK]

Here's my situation:
I have 2 desktop computers, both with an Ethernet card, and would like to connect them together so that they can share a DSL connection. They are about 30 feet apart with walls blocking the way (I don't mind running wires on the ceiling). Would you recommend a wired or wireless network?

Now, I need to know the simplest way to share a connection. I would like the option to be able to add another computer later on (when I get a new one).

What parts would I need to buy? Remember, I'm new to networking so try to speak in English with me :p

P.S. If possible, can you show me some good visual step by step tutorials that can be found on the net?

[Daniel]

A router would be the best way to go. I'd suggest Linksys or NetGear. Just plug all the computers into it, plug in the power, and then go through the web-based configuration.

Detailed instructions are available in the owners manual.

[deeplist]

Easibility depends upon what operating systems you are running. Windows XP makes home networking very simple. Earlier versions can be a little more complicated, and are really a different story to set-up. There are a few more steps such as installing tcp/ip etc.

The only supplies you would really need is a hub, and some category 5 cables. Before you purchase the hub, please note what kind of nic cards you have. There are 10/100 cards and there are 10baseT. 10/100 are standard, but 10baseT are standard in many older machines (Win9x). 10/100 are most commonly PCI where as older 10baseT are ISA, and are way more slow. More often then not, if you have integrated nic cards, they are 10/100. Either types of hubs can be purchased for very little money. I suggest either 3-com or HP. For your small network, you can buy a small hub that is maybe 6 or 12 port.

The only other things you will need are some Cat5 cables. If you want to save money, you can make them yourself. You will need to buy a spool of Cat5 cable and a box of RJ45 ends. Some tools you will need include wire cutters, wire strippers, and a telemaster tool for crimping the ends on. If you do not want to do this all yourself, then you can buy some pre-made patch cables at various lengths.

I am assuming you have Windows NT/XP, so home networking will be a piece of cake. Simply hook up the hub, run the cables from the PCs to the hub, and run the home networking utility that comes with WinXP.

Feel free to ask me if you have any more questions, I would be glad to help. I have tried to make things as clear as possible.

[Daniel]

Sometimes your ISP won't allow hubs. In most cases, hubs aren't on par with routers.

[Dean]

Get a billion Modem/Router, use the USB connection on the computer closest to the phoneline , and use the ethanet connection for the one 30 ft away

[EpidemiK]

Thanks for the advice, but should I go wireless? Is it worth the extra money?

[Daniel]

Originally posted by EpidemiK
Thanks for the advice, but should I go wireless? Is it worth the extra money?

If you do alot of download/gaming, no.

[Coolin]

Originally posted by Phyxisus
Get a billion Modem/Router, use the USB connection on the computer closest to the phoneline , and use the ethanet connection for the one 30 ft away
Is it possible to get two ethernet cards and then connect one to the modem and the other one to the other computer?

[CareBear]

A 10mbit hub and then using one pc as a router (NAT) will be the cheapest solution (you'll need a second network adapter in the PC that's going to run NAT) but not very advisable if you want to share files between the computers on your local network as well.
If you want to use the local network for file sharing/copying as well you'll be better off with a 100Mbit switch (you'll still need one PC to act as a router and if it isn't on there will be no shared internet) so a dsl/cable router is probably the best way to go and it'll save you some software hassles as well.
If you do go for a cable/dsl router make sure it's one that can forward enough ports or some things like file sending under any messenger/IRC/peer to peer software or things like netmeeting and the like won't work anymore. I haven't seen too many that'll allow you to specify a decent set of ports so watch out for that.

I don't know if any of that made sense but else just ask :)

[Coolin]

So I have to buy a hub no matter what?
I can't skip it and just link the two computers together?

[Daniel]

You can link them together, but one of the pc's must have atleast 2 nic cards. One would have to be connected to internet(turned on...) in order for the other one to access the internet.

[CareBear]

Originally posted by Coolin
So I have to buy a hub no matter what?
I can't skip it and just link the two computers together? You'll need a hub/switch/router because you said you wanted to eventually link up more then just the two computers you have now.

A hub is the simplest (dumbest) device. It'll have a number of ports you can plug cables in. What it does is 'listen' for any data that arrives at one port and then sends the same signal out through all the other ports. I said dumbest because it won't take a look at what it's forwarding. If it's an 8 port hub and the computer attached to port 1 starts sending then it'll send out the data over the 7 other ports and all other computers connected to the hub will receive the data. The network in the computers will take a look at the data they receive and either say: "oh it's for me, I'll start processing it" or "it's not for me, just discard it".
There's another thing to consider and that's half/full duplex. Half duplex compares best to a conversation between two people. One can talk and then the other will hear and understand but once the both of you start talking neither of you two will still understand anything. Same with a network. Once two network cards start transmitting data then the a collison will occur. They'll detect this and stop transmitting for a random amount of time. Then whoever waited the shortest time will start retransmitting and the other computer will hold until its done.
Full duplex on the other hand will allow data to travel over the receive and transmit data wires at the same time without causing collisions (you'll still get a collison when a third computer starts transmitting data though).
So a 10Mbit hub has a maximal throughput of either 10Mbit (half duplex) or 20Mbit (full duplex, 10Mbit up and down each)

Next up the ladder is a switch. It's slightly more intelligent then a hub. Each network card has a unique MAC address. Once it starts sending out data the switch will remember which address is connected to which port.
So now when computer 1 wants to send something to computer 2 the switch will take a look at the incoming data and only forward the data to computer 2. All the other connected computers don't need the data so they'll never see it.
This decreases the number of collisions dramatically once you network up more then two pc's since instead of every computer connected seeing any of the data, just the one it's intented for will get it.
So an 8-port 100Mbit hub theoretically has a throughput of 200Mbit (full duplex) so theoretically 1.6Gbit for the whole switch.

Difference between a router and a switch is a bit harder to explain. Your normal network will use a protocol for transmitting the data. Basically a 'where is this from', 'where is it going', 'how big is this block' and the actual data block.
Protocols can be layered as well. While you're using TCP/IP to surf and using IP addresses for send/delivery on the local network this will be carried on top of another protocol that uses each networkd card's MAC address.
The switch looks at MAC addresses to figure out where each packet is supposed to go and couldn't care less about what the actual package contains.

A router on the other hand is concerned with the higher protocol and will examine TCP/IP flags. Like a switch it'll "learn" which address is connected to which port and in addition it'll have a routing table. Simply put... uhm.. consider you're in the middle of a street looking at house number 50. There are three "routes" you can follow now. If you need to be at number 50 you step forward. If you need to go to a lower number then 50 then you go left and if you need higher you go right. (I guess that didn't make much sense :confused2)
Basically the router is capable of determing which packet is intented for the local network and which packet is intended for the internet.
It contains special software as well to be able to share the one IP address you receive from your ISP and allow multiple computers to surf using the one address and still make sure each packet gets to where it's supposed to go.

That's the difference between all the network devices everyone brought up here :)

Oh... you can use a single cable to connect two pc's but you'll need to purchase a crossover cable. The reason why you don't need a hub is because they "crossed over" the receive/send wire. A normal cable will have the receive wire at one end, end as a receive wire on the other end (same for send wire).
For a crossover cable a receive on one end will end as a transmit on the other end and a send will end as a receive. So basically a crossover cable has the same function as a 2 port hub.

[EpidemiK]

CareBear: :confused: lol sorry but I don't understand anything you just said. :p

Well anyways, I've decided to go wireless (802.11b) because I don't like running cat 5 cables and I won't be transferring files either.

There's a lot of conflict .. some say to buy a hub, others router, still others hub and router. This is just confusing me more. What should I really buy?

[CareBear]

Originally posted by EpidemiK
CareBear: :confused: lol sorry but I don't understand anything you just said. :pwas worth a try :)


Well anyways, I've decided to go wireless (802.11b) because I don't like running cat 5 cables and I won't be transferring files either.

There's a lot of conflict .. some say to buy a hub, others router, still others hub and router. This is just confusing me more. What should I really buy? [/B]If you don't mind leaving one computer turned on 24/7 and configuring NAT/Internet sharing on it then a hub will be cheapest (you will still need to have an additional network card in the one computer).
If you'd rather not leave a computer running all the time or just want something easy to install/setup then buy a router.

[EpidemiK]

Ahh that simplifys everything. :cool:

What would I need for each computer in order to have a wireless router?

[Daniel]

God I love Wireless networks. Not so much that I would actually like to use them myself, but the other day, I was wardriving in the rich-er part of Montreal, and I picked up a wireless network on a T3 connection. Was leeching off that like crazy. :)

Moral of this story: Wireless networks are not secure.

[Weirds]

Of course a wired router.

Buy SIEMEN, it's cheaper than Linksys. The installation is easy.

You really need long network cables though.