Jughead

I'm looking for specific information that would allow me to network 2 or at most 3 computers in my home. The base unit is a Micron P-III 733. I would want all PC's to share the same hard drive, printers etc.

Specifically what "stuff" do I need to accomplish this? What products work best? I'm familiar with PC operation, diagnosis and repair but am in the dark when it comes to networking.

Thanks,
Len

MotorHead

You need network cards for each computer and a hub, you can usually buy these in a package with software for < $100. Then you have to configure each computer to work on a network. Each computer needs it's own hardrive to boot up but you then share any drive on the newwork with any computer.

Good luck :D

PatG

One of te easiest ways is to get a cable/dsl router with 4 ports. Even if you use dialup this will still work for a home network. You will need network cards in each computer. The router will provide IP addresses for your home network. Hook the printer to one computer and use printer sharing, how you do this depends on the OS you are using. Hard drives are easy to share with file sharing. Beware that if you are using a mix of windows versions you may have to set up permissions to go from the non secure versions (95,98,Me) to the more secure versions (NT,2K,XP).

PatG

The hub method will work too and is a bit chaeper but the router is dead simple because you do not have to worry about setting your IP addresses. If you have broadband the router will allow you to share your high speed connection and give you a firewall to boot.

Juliet

Don't mean to butt into your thread, but while we're on the network subject, are there any good wireless networks which don't require line of sight (or mirrors to bounce signals up stairwells etc...)? We really need to get the computers hooked up in our house, but they're scattered on three floors. :eek: ~Juliet

shawn_cake

Juliet - Look for wireless setup that use 802.11 B protocol.
You'll need a wireless NIC for each PC, and a wireless base station.
Connect that base station to your ADSL or CABLE modem, and away you go!

:cheers:

rainman69

Alpha-geek enters from stage right:

1970 Stingray -- There are two "right" ways to go in your case, and I'll present them. First, if you want to run wire everywhere (in the walls, etc) then get yourself a Cable/DSL router so that if you eventually do upgrade to a Cable/DSL Modem, you already have a firewall and can hook all your computers to the Internet. I suggest the LinkSys brand (I'm running the BEFSR41, and it works great). Then, you can also buy a "printserver" that plugs your printer directly into the network, or run the printer off the server (The P3 733). You would want to have file and printer sharing running. For the other option, see below.

Juliet -- 802.11b is your answer. It is the 2.4GHz wireless specification. LinkSys (can you tell that I'm a fan of their products) just released a new wireless router (WLAN11, I think) that has an unobstructed coverage of 1600+ feet (radius), and 300+ indoors and through walls. Then you would just need 802.11b compatable cards for each of your computers, and make sure that you set up WEP encryption at the very minimum, or somebody could park their car outside your house with a laptop and connect to your network. For higher security, allow only the MAC addresses of your computers to access the network.

All -- If I have confused you, shoot me an email or an IM and I'll do my best to de-geekify my assistance. :smash:

Rogue Wave

LinkSys is the vendor of choice. Thats what me and all my geek friends and coworkers use. :conehead

Jughead

I like the sound of the wireless system. Can you give me an idea of the cost of such a system? $$

Racer16k

Rainman is all over it. I've got the LinkSys 2.4G wireless set up in our manufacturing plants. It works great. Our maint. guys can be plugged into an Allen-Bradley controller on the floor and connect to the network systems to check for parts details, drawings, etc. at the same time. It works up to about 1600ft. although it does slow down some at that distance. The LinkSys network cards are easy to set up too. Len I've got some catalogs or better yet go to http://www.warehouse.com

Jughead

Well last night I was passing by the Best Buy and decided to check out the wireless networking. I found the Linksys 2.4ghz BEFWS4 ver 2 and I bought 2 PCI cards. I asked the guy there if there was anything else I needed to install this, after I explained what I had planned. He said no that was everything I neded.

Well, I got home and installed one PCI card with relatively little problem. I then went to install the router and during the installation instructions, I was told to get an active internet connection. I did and a short while later my entire computer went black and had little grren verticle lines at the top! :eek: It froze up on me. So I restarted and tried the install again----same result.

After a few more times of doing this, W98 wouldn't even boot up! :eek: What a PIA! :mad :mad What am I doing wrong. The PC in question is a Micron millenium P3-733. It took a while, but I had to re-install windows98 again. What am I doing wrong? Is this the wrong equipment?

So then I try to install a PCI card into this PC and get the same result. with the PCI card in it's slot---the computer won't boot.---it's DEAD!

BTW, the guy at the store forgot to tell me I also needed an Ethernet card to connect the router I just purchased! :mad :mad


HELP!

Flareside

Keep at it Len, it's worth it. Look at it as a learning experience, just like building a new big block :) Once you get it right you'll love it!

My house has been wireless for over a year now, and I will NEVER go back to wires. Right now, I'm sitting on my deck drinking coffee and typing on my laptop. Wireless rules!

If I were doing it again today, I would go for the new 5GHz, 54 mbit 802.11a hardware. It may cost you $100-$200 more for you whole setup, but the speed is 54 m/bit per second instead of the 11 m/bit of 802.11b. You don't need the speed for things like this forum, but if you have kids that are downloading big files it will help.

-Joe

Flareside

Len, I would suggest that you swap your two wireless PCI cards to see if the second one is damaged. If the PC won't run at all with the card in, either the card or the slot is damaged.

How was your cable/DSL modem previously hooked to your PC? USB cable? Is that why you need a new Ethernet card for your PC? If I'm reading this right, you had to install both a wired Ethernet card and a wireless PCI card in this PC? Most people don't need to buy an Ethernet card for their PC because they already have one connected to the modem. You normally just disconnect the modem from the PC, then plug the modem into the router. The PC then connects to the router over wireless. Hope I'm not confusing you :)

I would also think about dumping Windows 98 in favor of Windows 2000 or XP. The newer OSs are MUCH more stable. They are definitely worth the effort.

Jughead

Thanks Joe. Everything I do is a major undertaking.

According to the instructions, the router connects to the PC via the Ethernet card. I have a dial up modem, no cable here yet.
There is NO telephone connection on the router box. They are all the larger type ends. The instructions mention nothing about hooking up the modem directly to the router.

After the system froze merely trying to install the router software, I tried to install the PCI card to see if that'd work. No luck.

This is a real PIA, I have two computers ripped apart trying to get this thing to work.

Juliet

Len - With the cards you're installing, do you have to worry about IRQ conflicts and all that? Or is that software switched? Because in the past when I've had the entire system go black & green lined w/ no pulse, it's been an IRQ issue. Then usually I need to flips some switches or something on the board. Some of the newer boards are switched in software.

Is the connection in your card sort of like a BIG phone jack shape? if so, then you might just need a network cable with the appropriate ends. I spoke with Greg about putting one in our house - we'll probably install one this fall ~ gotta save up a bit since we've got 4 PCs in the house at the moment. :) ~Juliet

QuickVet

are you able to boot into safe mode after the green screen issue occures?

if so, you may have a driver conflict. you may need to go to the manufacture website and download the latest driver. and the may be a firmware update on the router.

If you are going to try to install the product again make sure you have removed the previous attempt by : right clicking on my computer, go to properties then go to device manager. find the device on the list and right click then remove the product. BTW, if you have an exclamtion mark on the device that means it has not been installed correctly.

Flareside

Oops, sorry Len, I forgot that some areas are still at the mercy of a dialup connection. I think I've finally blocked those ugly experiences out of my mind :)

Since your using the PC to supply the internet connection, it sounds like you've got everything hooked up correctly.

mrvette

Flare, guys and gals, sometimes my 50k connection really rips on this site, sometimes it's a joke at being so slow...right this second it's about average...
I have complained to the ISP, but he says it's the site here....
now on Cable some months ago, this site and others slowed down worse than what I'm complaining about now....
so the question is, what to do???

or just try DSL.....and what is the differance between DSL and ADSL???

GENE

Jughead

Well, here's what I did. I got a copy of WindowsXP and installed that. I also got an Ethernet adapter. I then installed the router to the Ethernet adapter and the software installed flawlessly the first time. :cheers:

I've been at this most of the morning and right now I'm going to stop for the day. I gotta cruise to get ready for. Right now though I'm pretty satisfied with the results. I have two PC's and the networking hardware/software recognized by each PC. Big victories for me! :D I still need to get the two PC's to communicate and share the internet.

There was a site in my instructions to logo to that I couldn't get to work. http://192.168.1.1 At this site I was to obtain the final settings for the network. It keeps coming back busy or unavailable. :(

Julie: The connector you speak of is the one I'm using. A little bigger than a telephone jack and the wire is blue & much thicker.

Jughead

Now I just realized that the second PC has a network installed already. :eek: It's my wife's PC from work that she dial into every noe & then.
Can there be two networks on one PC? The hardware is working on both PC but I just can't get them sync'd!
:confused:


[Modified by 1970 Stingray, 10:24 PM 7/20/2002]