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New to networks - Advice on networking desktop and laptop

Hulk

Hulk

Diamond Member
I'm completely new to configuring networks. I'm going to be purchasing a laptop computer with 802.11b wireless networking and XP home. My desktop has a LAN built into the motherboard and runs XP Pro. Sorry for incorrect terminology, I don't know what I'm talking about but have heard that networking with XP is not too hard.

What will I need to network these two computers? I'd like to use the wireless networking feature in the laptop, that's the 802.11b designition, right? I assume the desktop will require some sort of transmitter/receiver?

Oh yeah, I'm not going to be using the laptop for internet connection while networked, I just need to be able to transmit files back and forth.

One more thing, what does 10-100 mean? I know it refers so the network bandwidth but an not sure of the particulars. What will be the bandwidth of the network connection between my two computers?

Thanks for any info.

Mark

 
10-100 just means that the card can run at either speed (and the speed depends on if your hub or switch or router or other NIC also support a higher speed)

pretty much all new networking stuff supports 100 mbps connections, so you don't really have to worry about it

well, so you want to wirelessly connect your laptop to your desktop eh?

well, what i'd do is basically what i have setup at my house. buy a wireless router

do you have a cable modem? or do you dial-up?

assuming you have broadband, you would connect your cable modem to your router, and then connect your desktop to the router and your laptop would connect wirelessly.

the router is basically a way of splitting the incoming 'net connection between 2 computers. the router takes the IP address from your cable modem company, and assigns internal address to all computers hooked up inside your network.

i use an SMC barricade wireless router which i got at compusa for 199.99. it's rated very well.

dlink, linksys, and just about every other manufacturer make wireless routers as well. if your laptop already has a wireless card in it, then you're gonna save a good amount of money right there.

really, if you're gonna share files with the laptop, it might as well have 'net access as well.
 
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