Switch Alternatives.

[scaryjeff]

Hello.

I am planning on running a dedicated game server on the LAN that I am a part of. To do this I will need to connect two computers (this one and the server) to one network port. Getting another port is not an option, and hubs are not allowed on the network. So I realise that the ideal solution would be to use a switch, but I don't really want to have to pay £60 for one of those. What other alternatives are there? I have enough NICs to use two in one of the machines. Both machines need to have full access to the rest of the network as if they were connected via a switch. I am prepared to use NT4 or 2K, but XP is not an option because a) I don't like it and b) one of the machines is only a 350.

Thanks for any advice you have.

- scary_jeff

 

[n0cmonkey]

Talk to the admins and see what they recommend. If they dont allow a hub they probably wouldnt allow a switch. Setting up a NAT device (whether it is a computer running routing software or a little blue device that attracts hammers) may work, but configuring it may not be all that fun.

 

[scaryjeff]

Thanks for the reply.
We are allowed to put switches on the network, I know several people who have done so. You do have to get permission to put two computers on one port, but thats easy enough to do. Now that you say that, I think there is one guy here who has set up several machines on his own NAT, but as I don't really know what that is, and somebody that does know what it is says that it would be hard to set up, I probably won't be able to do that. The guy I am thinking of is running linux as well, which I may be running on dual boot soon, but it certainly wont be 24/7.
So there is no way of having 2 NICs in the server machine, plugging one into the network port, and the other into the second machine, and have both machines work as I need? A freind suggested NT4 server or 2K with connection sharing on the server, but does that allow the second machine to connect to other games on the LAN etc as well as http and ftp transfers? Would I be able to conenct to IM servers using this setup?