Preserved Topic: Setting up a LAN

Hello

I've got a friend here and we wish to set up a network with a pc to pc cable. Though we don't know how to do it. The things we wish to do are to share files with each other as well as playing games.

Thanks

~Opium

The quick fix would be to buy a linksys network in a box or some such thing. Runs for about $40-$50US It has the hub, cables, and NIC's(Network Interface Cards) that you'll need to get it all setup. It will give you the option of sharing your internet connection as well.

As far as direct connection goes... You can do it with an RJ45 crossover cable but I'm not sure that'll support games. I know it works for file transfer and internet connections but games... anybody know if that works? Most games connect via a TCP/IP protocol or an IP address. Neither of those exist in direct connect cases I don't think. You'll still need ethernet cards in order for this too work, also.

You can connect with a parallel cable, again crossover, but I don't suggest it. It's about 10 times slower than ethernet and won't really be worth your time.

My first LAN was a LinkSys box set and it ran perfectly immediately. The setup was a Win98 PC to a WinXP PC and there weren't any hitches. There are some things that you need to be careful of but nothing too difficult to deal with. Let me know what OS's are running and the like and I'll try to help.

GrythusDraconis
I admire a man who can budget his life around his pint of Guinness and I envy a man who's wife will let him. ME, inspired by Suho1004 here.

[This message has been edited by GrythusDraconis (edited 01-17-2003).]

I second the motion that getting a boxed set with all you need would be helpful and a good place to start. Also getting a hub or switch so you hook up more then two computers since it usualy turns out you will want to sooner or later and a small 4-8 port hub is pretty cheap.

Some games can be played over a parallel cable connection or a serial connection but a Ethernet connection allows for faster file transfers and lets you play more games.

__________________________
This is a sig virus. Due to programing errors he cannot spread. So please help him by copying him to your sig so he can spread.

We've got a hub with 2 open ports + 1 for the modem. My friend is running under a winXP and im running 98. If you guys know how to set up an internet connection the same time I would be very grateful. Then we could just use a program like icq to transfer files, no more trouble with that. But that creates another problem: How do we set up a server for a cable modem? I think I know how to set up the other computer but I don't know about the server.

~Opium

If you have the two computers set up in a network you shouldn't use icq to transfer the files. It is much faster to transfer them directly over the network using the sharing options in windows. To share a folder right click on it and choose the 'sharing' option once you have set up the network.

The easiest way to share the Internett is to set up the winXP machine to connect to the internett. Then go to the 'control panel' > 'network devices' and right click on the internett connection, choose the options/preferances option. In one of the tabs you will have the option of sharing the Internett connection. When that is done the win98 machine should be able to connect to the internett without any problems. If the win98 machine had a previous Internett connection you have to disable/remove it so that the computer doesn't try to connect through that connection. I'm not sure, but you might have to setup your winXP to act as a DHCP server to get the internett connection to work properly. There is some easy way to do that in Windows, but I can't remeber how right now..

_________________________
"There are 10 kinds of people; those who know binary, those who don't and those who start counting at zero"

[This message has been edited by Veneficuz (edited 01-17-2003).]

There is an internet connection wizard in Windows XP that will make a disk that sets up your net connection on other PC's. One thing you'll need to know about cross platfrom LAN's. Your computer ID and Description and Workgroup name need to be in ALL CAPS on the Win98 machine for WinXP to recognize it. What sort of internet connection do you have? If it's cable I highly suggest getting a router. That was my only issue with XP. It doesn't allow itself to be unprotected(heh right) and thusly it locks out all of the inactive ports meaning your other PC can't access the XP machine. Otherwise it sounds like you're off to a good start.

GrythusDraconis
I admire a man who can budget his life around his pint of Guinness and I envy a man who's wife will let him. ME, inspired by Suho1004 here.

You don't need a router to share the internet connection, even if you are using winXP and it is a cable connection. I'm sharing my internet connection through a winXP machine now and I haven't had any problems. It is probably easier with a router, but most of them are pretty expensive compared to doing it the other way. With a router you also get a hardware firewall which is nice to have

To bypass the problem GD mention you have to allow the other computers to 'call up the internett'. Can't remeber the name of it now, but it is one of the options available to you when you are configuring the sharing so you'll probably understand what I mean then. I can't guarantee that it works, but I haven't had any problems doing it like this so far...

_________________________
"There are 10 kinds of people; those who know binary, those who don't and those who start counting at zero"

[edit] Now that I think about what I would have had to spend all together on a crossover cable ($20) and a few extra NIC cards ($30) all that i had laying around. It is well worth you time and money to purchase a HUB or Router. Because sooner or later you will have another computer to add to the network. I'm an asshole.[/edit]

[This message has been edited by MalFunkShun (edited 01-18-2003).]

MFS: I have a trashed(screen) laptop that I've hooked up to a spare monitor and I'd like to tie it to my main box... so I'd like to hear about your *cheap* approach. <lol> thnx

Ooops... looks like that's a big never mind. =) I'm posting you're editing...



[This message has been edited by NoJive (edited 01-18-2003).]

Venificuz, it's called ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) and it's one of the standard options when setting up networking so you should be able to come across it pretty easily.

ICS was implemented in Windows98, although, I the WinXP implementation is a bit more stable so set that up as your primary connection to the internet.