networking setup

[pnb263]

I am not the best at setting up networks, so I thought I would ask the advice of all the smart people here!... (I know, im a suck up)

I am receiving my second computer (see sig) in a couple days, and am wanting to connect everything together as follows:
A64 -> Sempron via gigabit link
Sempron -> switch (non gigabit) via 100Mbit link
Switch -> cable modem via 10Mbit link

I have the Sempron system (along with all my other systems) up and running through my switch, but I am wondering how to set up the new computer (A64) for a gigabit link to the Sempron system while still being able to access the internet from it (if possible).

The Sempron machine will be getting an additional 10/100 NIC since the gigabit link will take the onboard NIC from both the Sempron and A64 machines...

Thanks for any help/advice you can give.

 

[Chosonman]

You can't network through a switch (I think). You'll need a router.

 

[pnb263]

hmm, how about just being able to access the internet from the Sempron PC, but being able to have the A64 access the Sempron and Sempron access the A64.

The only reason I need (want) gigabit between the two is that I will have to be doing large file transfers back and forth (video editing/encoding/etc) and dont want to have to wait on the slow-@ss 100Mbit connection that I have now.

Any alternatives? Both machines will be used for encoding, but only one for burning... I would like to make it as painless (quick) as possible to transfer files between the two computers. BTW: when I say large files, I am talking 4-40GB in size, depending on what I am doing at the moment.

OH... something else that might help. I run Win2K on ALL my machines... no WinXP for me.

 

[fuxxociety]

Why don't you simply get a gigabit switch, attach the gigabit machines to it, and then uplink the switch to your 10/100 router for everything else?

 

[pnb263]

I guess I could do that. I was trying to eek my way out of spending any money on this, but I can if I need to.

Any good gigabit switches around? Any ones I should avoid?