Hi guys. My roommates and I want to set up a Cable Modem in our apartment and network our computers together to share the connection, but none of us have any experience networking computers together. We would love to be able to play Q3 and Half-life with each other and over the net, but what kinda hub or switch would we need for that? There's six computers I need to hook up so how many ports should I have? Oh and what does a firewall program do? Thanks for any help guys.
Some networking questions from a junior...
- Thread starter djchemistry
- Start date
Depending on how good your cable is you might have trouble having 6 guys playing a game over the net at the same time. Regardless, get a router, its much simpler for you to setup.
Heres what I recommend you buy:
(6) Netgear FA310tx NIC cards (one for each comp)
http://www.onvia.com/usa/products/index.cfm?Task=ViewProduct&SearchText=fa310tx&IdCatalog=173973
(1) Netgear FS108 8 port 10/100 Switch
http://www.onvia.com/usa/products/index.cfm?Task=ViewProduct&SearchText=fs108&IdCatalog=194595
(1) Netgear RT311 Cable/DSL Nat Router
http://www.onvia.com/usa/products/index.cfm?Task=ViewProduct&SearchText=rt311&IdCatalog=2379732
(2) 1 ft Cat 5 patch cables (Modem to Router, Router to Switch)
http://www.onvia.com/usa/products/index.cfm?Task=ViewProduct&SearchText=1ft%2520cat5e%2520boot%2520grey%2520patch&IdCatalog=2467336
(6) Other Cat Patch cables (depending on the length of the cables you need.
The router uses nat to share one ip for all your computers. Nat acts like a firewall somewhat. A firewall keeps unauthorized traffic out. You hook the cable modem to the router. Then you attach the router to the switch. Then attach the ports on the switch to your computers. Configuration takes like 2 minutes, and your ready to fly.
Heres what I recommend you buy:
(6) Netgear FA310tx NIC cards (one for each comp)
http://www.onvia.com/usa/products/index.cfm?Task=ViewProduct&SearchText=fa310tx&IdCatalog=173973
(1) Netgear FS108 8 port 10/100 Switch
http://www.onvia.com/usa/products/index.cfm?Task=ViewProduct&SearchText=fs108&IdCatalog=194595
(1) Netgear RT311 Cable/DSL Nat Router
http://www.onvia.com/usa/products/index.cfm?Task=ViewProduct&SearchText=rt311&IdCatalog=2379732
(2) 1 ft Cat 5 patch cables (Modem to Router, Router to Switch)
http://www.onvia.com/usa/products/index.cfm?Task=ViewProduct&SearchText=1ft%2520cat5e%2520boot%2520grey%2520patch&IdCatalog=2467336
(6) Other Cat Patch cables (depending on the length of the cables you need.
The router uses nat to share one ip for all your computers. Nat acts like a firewall somewhat. A firewall keeps unauthorized traffic out. You hook the cable modem to the router. Then you attach the router to the switch. Then attach the ports on the switch to your computers. Configuration takes like 2 minutes, and your ready to fly.
you have a few options:
1) you could use a switch with enough ports to network everyone together. then set one comp up as a gateway to the internet using some internet sharing software, ie winproxy, wingate, ICS... this method means that the host comp with the software on it would run 24/7
2) get a linksys cable/dsl router (I believe it comes with a built in 4 port switch) and another hub/switch. you can hook the cable modem directly to the router, then expand the router into the hub/switch. this would allow all computers to be independent of each other.
a firewall program helps keep intruders out of your network. in option 1 you would need a software firewall, in option 2 the linksys router is a hardware firewall. there are plenty of software firewalls available, some are better than others, and before anyone says it, zonealarm won't work for you, it doesn't work on a lan.
hope this helps a bit, and everyone here will be more than willing to help you get your network up and runnning. good luck
1) you could use a switch with enough ports to network everyone together. then set one comp up as a gateway to the internet using some internet sharing software, ie winproxy, wingate, ICS... this method means that the host comp with the software on it would run 24/7
2) get a linksys cable/dsl router (I believe it comes with a built in 4 port switch) and another hub/switch. you can hook the cable modem directly to the router, then expand the router into the hub/switch. this would allow all computers to be independent of each other.
a firewall program helps keep intruders out of your network. in option 1 you would need a software firewall, in option 2 the linksys router is a hardware firewall. there are plenty of software firewalls available, some are better than others, and before anyone says it, zonealarm won't work for you, it doesn't work on a lan.
hope this helps a bit, and everyone here will be more than willing to help you get your network up and runnning. good luck
I would not recommend the linksys, I owned one for 6 months and it was always having problems hosting games, I would go for either a Netgear, Umax, or Zyxel (same as netgear hardware wise but costs more).
Please note that linksys has updated its firmware and capabilities signifigantly since then, with them being the first product to market of course there would be problems.... Now they even support IPSec VPNs which no other product does. Their only downfall is a limited number of fowarded ports, but that is still a software issue and may be changed.
Actually the UMAX came out before the linksys. At timhiggins.com there are many reviews of different router. Anyways, on the user opinions the linksys has the highest disapointment rate at 20%, whereas both the Netgear and Umax have only 8% dissapointment rates and most are that people are too lazy to telnet into the router for Netgear. But thats just my opinion, and I have used all 3 numerous times. A friend of mine owns the Umax and he likes it. Me and two others own the netgear and they like it. 2 of them and me used to own the linksys..but they all left for fleabay heaven.
Thanks for your quick replies. I've got some more questions though.
Where can I find information about the pro's and con's of a switch setup and the pro's and con's of a router setup? Is the only difference hardware firewall?
My roommates and I are probably gonna play on our network but I doubt that we'll all play together online at the same time, so I don't think we need too large of a setup. Oh yeah, we're a bunch of college kids so our budget's not that large either.
What I'm really interested is in a network setup:
(1)that'll let my friends and I play each other on our network.
(2)let us all simultaneously browse and sometimes simultaneously download files from the net.
Will a switch setup with one gateway computer suffice for this?
Where can I find information about the pro's and con's of a switch setup and the pro's and con's of a router setup? Is the only difference hardware firewall?
My roommates and I are probably gonna play on our network but I doubt that we'll all play together online at the same time, so I don't think we need too large of a setup. Oh yeah, we're a bunch of college kids so our budget's not that large either.
What I'm really interested is in a network setup:
(1)that'll let my friends and I play each other on our network.
(2)let us all simultaneously browse and sometimes simultaneously download files from the net.
Will a switch setup with one gateway computer suffice for this?
A router and a switch do two different functions. In this case, the nat based router will let you all share 1 ip and by default offer a level of firewall protection. A switch will let your computers hook up to the firewall. It will also provide microsegmentation so each computer has its own collision domain and providing faster transfers, theres more but ive got to go play a game
dj, a switch with a gateway computer will work fine. thats the setup I made for my roommates and I last year. I use a hub, but there is only three of us, since there are eight of you, a switch would probably work better.
like jm said the router and swtich do different things, the router does what he said. the swtich connects all the comps together, a hub does the same thing. However when you use a switch it sends info directly from one comp to the recieving comp. wereas a hub just sends out the info, and only the recieving comp accepts it, all the rest just ignore it. (if that doesn't make sense I can explain it more).
also, if you are concerned with all the traffic slowing down a gate way comp. you could find a cheap computer (like a P100) and put it in a closet with the switch.
like jm said the router and swtich do different things, the router does what he said. the swtich connects all the comps together, a hub does the same thing. However when you use a switch it sends info directly from one comp to the recieving comp. wereas a hub just sends out the info, and only the recieving comp accepts it, all the rest just ignore it. (if that doesn't make sense I can explain it more).
also, if you are concerned with all the traffic slowing down a gate way comp. you could find a cheap computer (like a P100) and put it in a closet with the switch.
Thanks for your help guys.
So let me get this straight, a router doesn't set up a network but just acts as a firewall and open connection to the internet? Does that mean I'd need a hub or a switch in addition to any router?
Concerning a gateway comp and switch setup, how much of a performance hit are we talking about on the gateway computer? Will it be big enough that the guy using his comp as the gateway comp will notice it?
So let me get this straight, a router doesn't set up a network but just acts as a firewall and open connection to the internet? Does that mean I'd need a hub or a switch in addition to any router?
Concerning a gateway comp and switch setup, how much of a performance hit are we talking about on the gateway computer? Will it be big enough that the guy using his comp as the gateway comp will notice it?
right, the router seperates the internet connection, so that multiple computers can us 1 ip address (issued by the isp company). it can also work as a hardware firewall. and yes, you would need a hub or switch in addition to a router, for that setup.
on a gateway system, I don't know how big the preformance hit would be. I have three computers (including mine, the gateway) that access the web through winproxy. you will have 8 comps, so maybe the hit will be noticeable, but I really have no idea. its also possible that there would be no noticable difference.
on a gateway system, I don't know how big the preformance hit would be. I have three computers (including mine, the gateway) that access the web through winproxy. you will have 8 comps, so maybe the hit will be noticeable, but I really have no idea. its also possible that there would be no noticable difference.
jmcorey,
I think I may use the netgear equipment you suggested above.
I am soon to have my DSL installed by Ameritech (Speedpath).
Not sure what equipment they'll be using just that it wont cost me
any $$ and consists of modem and nic.
Will I be able (HA ! I don't know squat bout dis gear) to
rearrange whatever they do to use the Netgear stuff. Should I trash,
er, stash their nic and use two the same what I already got. I got
3 3Com 3C905B-TX nics laying around. Or should I sell the 3coms
and get some Netgears ?
tommyc
I think I may use the netgear equipment you suggested above.
I am soon to have my DSL installed by Ameritech (Speedpath).
Not sure what equipment they'll be using just that it wont cost me
any $$ and consists of modem and nic.
Will I be able (HA ! I don't know squat bout dis gear) to
rearrange whatever they do to use the Netgear stuff. Should I trash,
er, stash their nic and use two the same what I already got. I got
3 3Com 3C905B-TX nics laying around. Or should I sell the 3coms
and get some Netgears ?
tommyc
If you didnt have the 3coms id go for the netgears cuz theyre much cheaper. But since you have them, KEEP THEM and use them hehe, or give them to me. 3com does make excellent nics albeit overpriced.
Basically instead of the DSL modem going into the NIC in your comp, it will go into the Netgear Router, then to a switch/hub device, and then onto the comps. It will work fine.
Basically instead of the DSL modem going into the NIC in your comp, it will go into the Netgear Router, then to a switch/hub device, and then onto the comps. It will work fine.
djchemistry, I had the same problem/buying decision as you had. I had to find a router that would allow several people play games on the same server at the same time. After doing a bunch of research at http://www.timhiggens.com and other places, I came to the simple conclusion that the Umax Ugate series is by far the most leniant of the inexpensive routers in letting you open ports or making some other changes that allows users to play games and use napster at the same time. I highly recommend you do not get a Linksys. It has very limited port mapping, plus it has been known to have data corruption on a random basis. Even with the newest firmware, it is still having problems, but it does at least support PPPoE now.
I just bought the UMAX Ugate 3200 8 port (1 uplink) switch. The also have a 4 port hub version in the UGate 3000. I recommend you go to Tim Higgen's page and read the beginners page in order to learn the vocabulary, and then look at the multiple reviews and router comparison chart. I was a virgin to routers just like you, but I learned a lot from visiting that page for a while.
Here is the link to the Introduction to Routers page.
http://www.timhiggins.com/sharing/hwrouters.htm
I just bought the UMAX Ugate 3200 8 port (1 uplink) switch. The also have a 4 port hub version in the UGate 3000. I recommend you go to Tim Higgen's page and read the beginners page in order to learn the vocabulary, and then look at the multiple reviews and router comparison chart. I was a virgin to routers just like you, but I learned a lot from visiting that page for a while.
Here is the link to the Introduction to Routers page.
http://www.timhiggins.com/sharing/hwrouters.htm
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