• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

2 computers...cable modem on the way..need some newbie networking help

H

Helpless

Banned
Greetings, I am about to get a cable modem and have two computers I would like to use...but not really up on networking whatsoever, so need some help...🙂

1.) I think it's an addition $5.00 a month for a second IP address...Should I get a second IP address, or is there a way to have the main computer handle this?

2.) Do I need Windows 2K, or is there a way to run it using Windows 98SE...any other software needed?

3.) What kind of hardware am I looking at, and how much do you think this whole operation would cost me? 🙂 I think I need some good ol' coaxial...2 Ethernet cards (what kind?) and a hub or something 🙂 that's the extent of my knowledge...need some help!

So all I have is two computers running Windows 98SE and a cable modem on the way...Where do I start?
 
second IP is the easiest way, if yu don't mind the extra cost. All you'll need is a little hub. If you want to setup a proxy server, then you need two nics in one comp, wingate, sygate, or ICS, and a hub or a cross over cable. Also the second comp will need a nic. Or you can use a cable/dsl router.

If you want to setup a proxy server, the computer you use has the proxy server will need to be on for the other computer to browse the web. Install both nics in the one of the computers. Connect the cable modem to one of those nics. Connect a patch cable to a hub/switch, or connect a crossover cable to the second comp. Install Wingate or Sygate on the comp with the two nics in it. set the software has a dhcp and that is it.
 
How much would a cable router run me? I noticed Staples had the Linksys ethernet cards on sale for $9.95 per card...it's says 10/100 ...what does this stand for? 10 ports @ 100mb/sec? I am a total newbie, as you can see.

So a cable router and two of these cards is all I would need?
 
Helpless,

10/100 means that the card can operate at either 10Mbits or 100Mbits per second. Most NICs only have 1 RJ-45 port on the back plane. If you are needing more than one RJ-45 connection, you will have to install more than one NIC.

To share a cable connection on my LAN I have a Windows 2000 Server box with 2 NICs that uses Internet Connection Sharing (ICS). The first NIC connects to my cable provider via the cable modem. The second NIC connects to my internal network via a 5 port 10/100 switch.

Windows 98 SE also contains ICS. Although the Windows 2000 implementation of ICS is better, I never had much trouble with Win 98's version.

Hope that this helps a little....

Hittman
 
I have been doing the proxy server thing here for a LONG TIME. --Long before ICS was available. I think it's the cheapest, easiest way to go. --But good Lord, DON'T use wingate, sygate, or ICS!! Those suck TOTAL hole. I have probably used about every product out there, and have settled on one supreme master of proxy serving: PROXY, by AnalogX

It's free, it's powerful, it's TINY, it's well-made, it requires VERY little setup, and it has such a small footprint on your system you will never even know it's there (and it just sits in your system tray.)

Go with Proxy. --Unless you get a router, which would be sweet, but expensive.

Ricky
DesignDawg
 
I would go with the cable/dsl router - if you go with a cross over cable performance will be slower for the 2nd PC (unless you don't care about that) and the main PC must be on for the 2nd to brwose. A hub doesn't require that the main PC to be on to browse, but you hafta pay $5 each month to your ISP. From a cost standpoint a 100 mbps hub will run you around $45, and the router around $110. With the hub you need to pay $5 extra each month for the IP. So as you can see in 11 months the cable/dsl router will pay for itself - and you get firewall protection thrown in.

Also if you go with the hub make sure you get it either 10/100 or 10 mbps - don't do a screw up like I did and buy a 100 mbps only hub, when the DSL only works at 10 mbps - therefore you would need to route it through the other PC (which would hafta be on and performance would suffer), eliminating the benefit of the hub.
 
Hmm always thought that no matter what the "solution" was your connection would suffer-whether it be a router or through NAT, two computer would have to share one line, unless you got two isp's---or are the two computers much faster with a router? right now napster kills me (host) when run on the client machine and my games kill the client machine, would this be fixed with a router? kinda low on cash now but if it is that much better I will invest. Any info would be appreciated-thanks
 
Thanks for all the advice everyone...you, as usual, have been more than helpful...seems the cheapest/best route for me is to mimic my friend's setup...He has a ~$40 Ethernet 10/100 hub and 2 of those LinkSYS Fast Ethernet 10/100 PCI cards with the CAT5/RJ something cables, which are on sale for $9.95 @ Staples after the $10.00 MIR...So looking at under $60.00 to get it running...

So I guess I should get the hub/cards...get both hooked up and running, and when the cable dude installs the modem, just plug it into the Ethernet HUB and that's all there is to it? I am Sure Windows 98SE will install the ethernet cards and such, but is it a pain to get the two working together?
 
Dont use two of the same cards in the same computer---get two different cards, eg. one linksys and one netgear-you asking for trouble if you don't
 
You can use two of the same cards in your computer, i have two linksys in mine right now. It's only confusing when you try to set somehting like ICS up, and you have to make sure you are using the right one for you internet connection and the right one for your network connection. If you don't care about the money go with the second IP at least for now. Guys this guy didn't know what 10/100 was (no offense) I don't think he want's to mess with opening up ports or getting p!ssed when he can't get a game to play or icq to send files. With the second IP he can most likely just put the two IP's into the two computers and never worry about having problems.
 
exactly 🙂 thanks for the info...got 2 of the liksys cards coming...still pricing an inexpensive hub and will sit down and see what I can do, once the cable clown gets here 🙂
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top