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How to share Internet and File/Folders in Switch Environment

S

stuman19

Senior member
I have a home network that the ultimate goal is to share the internet and any files along with the upstairs printer. Before, I was using a hub and the internet was shared perfectly, but I was told if I wanted to share both the internet and files that I would need a switch. So now I have a linksys 8-port switch. The following is the topology/layout

Upstairs computer goes into the switch that is located downstairs next to the downstairs computer. The downstairs computer goes into the switch. The cable modem plugs into the switch.

I have both computers using dynamic IP addressing scheme. Both computers have Windows XP professional.

The problem:

With this setup ONLY the downstairs computer can connect to the internet. The upstairs computer can't at all. The only way the upstairs computer can connect is if it is directly connected to the cable modem itself. Do I need to setup static IP addressses? Is the problem that the default gateway on the upstairs computer is wrong? Do I need to setup one computer as the ICS server computer and actually have two network cards installed? Please give me any sort of feedback on how I can set this up correctly. Keep in mind that the goal is to have the internet shared along with files/folders and a printer.



 
For a small Network Switch or Hub are the same. What you need to share the Internet is a Cable/DSL Router.

As for sharing there is no difference whether you use a Hub a Switch or a Router, you have to set the sharing part of your OS.

For more info read this:

AnandTech - FAQ. Basic Options for Internet Connection Sharing

AnandTech - FAQ. Hubs, routers, switches, DSL, LANs, WANs...?

To set Sharing between your computers.

Important For the purpose of the initial setting, disable all software Firewall (including WinXP native
ICF); disable any active Virus scan or any other utility that might intercept Network Traffic.

If you are not concern about internal security WinXP has a fast simple method of sharing, no user permissions and no passwords.

Windows XP Simple File Sharing

WinXP Pro has an additional more secure method:

Windows XP Professional File Sharing.

XP File Sharing Trouble

Win98 Sharing:

AanadTech - FAQ. Networking and sharing between computers.
 
So you are saying for me to do is replace my switch and get a Cable/DSL router? But will that share files? I am a little confused.
 
The usage of the word sharing in both makes it a little confusing.

Sharing the Internet is an independent issue then Sharing files and Printers.

The first two links in my post relates to sharing the Internet.

The rest relates to sharing files and printers.

 
Well in the one link with sharing the internet it is too broad. It just says to configure tcp/ip on both computers and the IP address scheme then configure the ICS. I have it so it can work but there is some configuration troubles I think.
 
Here is my switch:



Switch

This should have no problem sharing the internet like a hub did. And I thought I could get both workign at the same time.
 
Jack's given some excellent links. How ever you had it setup with a hub, should work just as well with a switch. Perhaps you changed some configurations?

Post your tcp/ip configurations for both computers.

You might consider the router too, it would take the hassle out of things.
 
Both computers are configured using Dynamic IP addresses. However I would have to say that since the upstairs computer doesn't work I would say that the default gateway isn't set correctly.
 
Originally posted by: stuman19
Both computers are configured using Dynamic IP addresses. However I would have to say that since the upstairs computer doesn't work I would say that the default gateway isn't set correctly.
Click to expand...

Why are you asking them? Thats pretty much why I wanted to see what settings had been assigned to the computers. The gateway address of the client computer should be the router, or the IP address of the private side of the computer doing ICS (the one in the range of 10.0.0.0/8 or 172.16.0.0/12 or 192.168.0.0/16). Ensure connectivity by pinging, if they can ping each other then you know your sharing setup isn't correct or you have the wrong settings.
 
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