I need some advice on sharing cable modem service between two computers.

[Pnutz311]

I am getting my computer hooked up with Comcast@home service in a few week. I was wondering what the best way to share the service between two computers is. The computers are pretty far apart, is the intel wireless network anygood?

 

[BCYL]

Options to share cable access:

1) get a hardware cable router

2) setup a LAN between the two PCs, have one be the server PC and run software ICS...

3) dig up an old PC and install Linux on it... then setup a LAN between the 3 PCs and have the Linux machine act as a dedicated server...

For more info on each of these options, do a search of these forums... this question has already been answered a million times...

 

[wezal]

BCYL or anyone who wants to give their input,
I am in a situation where I could do any of the three options that you mention. I have a win 98 machine and a linux-Red Hat machince connected with a hub and a cable modem and one semi-static IP. I was using my win98 machine with ICS before I converted the other box over to linux, and it worked ok, but I didn't have any firewall protection. The firewall hardware I have been looking at is about $100. So my question is, can Linux do the protection for me and save me $100? Or is the hardware option better, such as the Linksys Etherfact CBL/DSL Router 1 port 10/100 version? What is the most secure and fastest option? And can you point me to some good resources to set it up? Thanks.

 

[ttn1]

Wezal,

I spent the better part of this past summer building a linux router. The linux router project is a great resource. Don't have the website here but it is easy to search for. It is a version of linux that will run from a floppy. I was making a very specific setup which included a small computer with no moving parts. The general disk images work very well from a floppy. I had one running on a 486 with 2 nics in about a day. It can be tricky tgo get things like certain games and dialpad to work through the firewall though.

If your interested in linux and like to tinker or your just poor like me, I suggest the linux router project or coyote or any of the other versions of linux for firewalling and routing. If you want something quick, with the minimal amount of setup, go with the prepackaged routers.

ttn1

 

[FullMoon]

This is what I did. I purchased a D-Link 701 cable/dsl router, and a D-Link 5 port hub. You need
one NIC in each computer, straight cable and there you go. It does everything automatically.

 

[Pnutz311]

I don't know about setting up some of my old 33mhz 486s as a Linux server(I don't know the first thing about Linux). Plus my computers are a bit far apart from each other. I am looking to do this for under 200 bucks in the end. Is the diamond Homefree thing anygood, or the intel Anypoint wireless package?

 

[Wik]

Freesco is the best floppy router I have seen. Takes a whole 20 minutes to set up and the port mapping is a snap either from the router box or from a web browser on another machine. Even a Windoze only freak could set it up.

Freesco

As for being far apart just buy some cable and crimpers and some ends from someplace like Home Depot or Menard's and wire the place. I did my buddies 3 bedroom split level in a few hours. Costs? hell what mabe $50 bucks in cable supplies and a floppy disk in your 486. Oh wait 2 NICS.... You can buy some Accton NICS that will work (I have 8 of them) for $6, they are system pulls and you will have to download the drivers but not a problem. Most Linux distos will find them anyway and do not need the drivers.

$6 NICS Hurry only 72 left. These really are great cards. Shipping is not bad either.