how to network 2 computers with 2 seperate IP addresses on cable

[dud2k]

hey,
what is an easy way to network 2 desktop computers using 2 different IP addresses? i use att@home, i will be purchasing an additional IP address soon.
thanks

 

[Dazmite]

Get a Hub and connect the modem to the uplink port and connect both PCs to the hub. Thats it. I have mine set this way and it works great. Better yet get a router and save the extra IP cost. Router will get your IP and it will issue PC their own IPs. At least this is how I gather a router works.
Daz

 

[dud2k]

do i need a switch to do this..? or will any regular old hub work? and whats this thing with CAT5 wires..etc.etc..can someone explain the difference of each..and which ones i need?
thanks

 

[sohcrates]

you don't need a switch...and yes, "any old hub" will work for what you want...a switch just tends to work better because there are less packet collisions.

what's your cat5 question?? cat5 is just the standard 8 wire cabling that is used to connect ethernet cards, cable modems, and hubs.

and yeah, if you get 2 ip's, you simply run the cable modem into the "uplink" port on a hub, and connect the other two computers to the hub....it's that easy. if you DON'T want to buy a second IP address, things get a little more complicated...and routing is your option

 

[dud2k]

well, i really need to get the 2nd IP for personal needs..but how do i know if my hub has an uplink port? do all hubs have one?

 

[Zach]

<< do i need a switch to do this..? or will any regular old hub work? and whats this thing with CAT5 wires..etc.etc..can someone explain the difference of each..and which ones i need?
thanks >>



A hub is dumb, and all traffic goes everywhere. It's like a single chanel intercom, you (the computers) have to listen only for what applies, and it's easy to talk while someone else is (packet collision).

A switch directs traffic, based on the mystical MAC address (each device has one, and you don't set it or worry about it, it's part of Ethernet and not TCP/IP). Collisions usually don't happen unless you have a messed up cable, and they can talk in two directions at once. If this 'full duplex' operation is supported by the NIC (network interface car, netwrok card) you will effectivly double bandwidth. a 10baseT hub or swtich runs at 10Mb (Megabits), but in full duplex you effectivly have 20Mb. That's why some switchs 'support 200Mb operation).

Cat5 is simple, get normal Cat5 cable. Don't bother with anything fancy, you will just waste money if you try to make use of the extra ability. A &quot;patch&quot; cable goes between computers and devices (hubs, most cable modems). A &quot;cross over&quot; cable goes between devices or between computers, it's reversed. An &quot;uplink&quot; port on a hub/switch reverses a cable, letting &quot;cross over&quot; cables connect to computers and &quot;patch&quot; cables connect to other devices.

 

[Zach]

<< well, i really need to get the 2nd IP for personal needs..but how do i know if my hub has an uplink port? do all hubs have one? >>



Most do, it's considered standard. Port 1 or the last port often has a partnet which is an uplink, so it's with normal or uplink.. or a button/swtich to reverse the port.

 

[dud2k]

ok..so i should get a switch? i only have 2 computers so i should get a 4port switch with uplink? how much do these usually cost..i dont want to spend over $30 bucks on it...which ones are good?

 

[dud2k]

woah from what i see...switches are a lot more expensive.

 

[mrzed]

For what you are looking for the only reason to go for a switch is future uprgrading. With the throughput you will be getting on an average cable connection, packet collisions will not slow you down appreciably. And if you find the right sale, a 5 port hub is almost free.

Unless you want to go with the router combos that usually come with a built-in switch, sure these will save you the cost of an extra IP, but it still takes a while to pay for itself.

If you want cheap now, get the hub.

 

[vash]

If you have two computers, each with a different IP address, the easiest way to get them connected together would be to get another NIC in each of them and a hub/switch. I'm assuming that each machine has its own IP and its own Cable modem connection, so this would be the only way.

On the other hand, if you have two ip address and one cable line, just get a hub or a switch and get them connected. Virtually all hubs/switches have an uplink port, so don't worry about that. If your budget is $30, then get a hub and some cables, you'll be fine.

When you get that working and complain with &quot;why does it take so long to transfer 1 gig of files&quot;, then you know you need a switch.

vash

 

[sohcrates]

these days, you can actually find switches for the same price as hubs...look around, they ARE around

 

[dud2k]

i only see 5 port switches..are 4 port switches existant?

 

[sohcrates]

remember that a 5 port switch has an uplink port....so you really can only connect 4 computers to a 5 port switch

 

[dud2k]

do you guys think a hub is good enough? it is only a cable with 2 computers...

i dont feel like spending a lot of money on a big switch..since i'm only going to network for 2 months anyways.

 

[sohcrates]

everyone will disagree with me about this, but i use a hub at my parents house for their 2 computers and it works just dandy....switches help performance, but if you're not hardcore, a hub is more than adequate

 

[dud2k]

do i need any extra windows addons like ICS..netbeiu and all those stuff? or just tcp-ip?

 

[sohcrates]

if you're getting 2 ip addresses, then all you need is tcp/ip...(assuming you're running win98 or 95 or ME)

if you have an nt4 machine on the network, you might need netbeui...but i doubt you have this

 

[dud2k]

i have one running win2k, the other win98

 

[sohcrates]

yeah, then you just need tcp/ip on them both...configuration of the IP addresses, etc...is different, but same basic concepts apply. the ONLY issue you may have is if you're trying to share files between the two computers...setting up file sharing on win98 is easy, and the win2k box will have no trouble seeing the win98 box....BUT, if you want the win98 computer to see files on the win2k box, you have to set up an account for the win98 box...OR, enable the guest account on the win2k box...but i'd say get the internet going first, then come back and we can work out the details to getting file sharing working.

 

[dud2k]

oh hehe, that is weird. i probably wont need file sharing..only need network to share internet. so.... a normal hub with uplink is good enough? and all connections use cat5?

 

[sohcrates]

that's the exact setup i installed for my parents, so you're right on

cable modem plugs into uplink port via cat5 (sometimes there's a switch to enable the uplink port on a hub/switch......look on the back for that)...then run cat5 to each computer...and setup each computer with tcp/ip and input the computer names that the cable modem provider gives you...plus they'll probably have you run DHCP (basically it automatically assigns you an ip address)...so there's very little configuration on your end....

i.e. enable DHCP on your two boxes with the correct computer and domain names and your pretty much set.

 

[dud2k]

ok cool sounds easy. thanks man.
hmm i dont think i need DHCP cause @home gives me static IP..i think.

 

[sohcrates]

99% of @home installs force DHCP on you, BUT, if you're savvy...just ask for a static IP, most of the time they're cool about it (cause lots of @home customers don't KNOW what DHCP is)....

if they force DHCP on you, you can probably just open a command prompt and type &quot;ping Your_host_name.Your_domain&quot; and it will resolve an IP and you can put that in manually....@home's DHCP usually gives you the same IP every time you connect...so it's more like IP reservation DHCP....

good luck!

 

[dud2k]

thanks man for all the help!