can anybody help me with making a network of 3-4 windows computers (3 win98 and 1 win2k) They all have network cards, and I have a hub, and enough cables.
If not, can anybody help me with making a direct connection between the win2k cpu and one of the win98s? (Using the network card and rj45 cables)
cool, I went to school for network. Ok first, I guess you know how to plug everything up. Second, it’s pretty basic from here.
To share file or drive, right click, go to sharing, set properties
Then you can access them from network neighborhood or map a network driver
is this going to be hooked onto the interent in any way ???
yeah that was something I wanted to ask about. If I wanna share an internet connection (ADSL), how do I set that up, and do I need a firewall or anything?
thanks a TON for your help.
p.s. If i want to play multiplayer games (starcraft) is there anything special that I need to do?
Well, any windows system on the internet, especially broadband, should have a firewall. (Linux should have firewall to, but much less subsecptable to hack.) Windows does have something called Internet Connection Sharing, although sometimes it is buggy. I have seen some freeware proxy software around also.
If you want it seperated from the outside environment, and the stablest way, get one of those broadband router/gateway deals. I think you could find one under $200. But they have a control panel with web browser access, and you just plug them in, set a few things with your web browser, and it’s ready to go. You can also specify port forward for some (i know the linksys does). Or if you can do Linux, it isn’t hard to set up a little Red Hat gateway.
But most broadband provideres require you only have one IP, so you would have to either use ICS, proxy software, little router/gateway, or a Linux box gateway.
ok. so let me see if i understand:
-----broadband----> [router]----->[computers]
do i not use the hub then?
Yep, that’s how it goes. A lot of time those little routers have a built in switch, maybe like a 5-port. If not though, just use the hub after the router.
Get another CHEAP obsolete computer, install 2 network cards. Preferably Link Sys but something mainstream with linux support, Get a copy of Mandrake 8.2 Connect your DSL connection to one and your network to the other. Install linux. Will recognize ths (9 out of 10) as a firewall cofiguration and presto, one firewall. Unplug monitor keybpord mouse stuff in closet, no reason to log on to anything will do it at boot. But preferably tou want to use this as your mail machine so you can catch all the nast virus mail people tend to send you…works forme.
Thats dedicating an aweful lot of power just for a router :). I have a 4 port router which I run my machines off of and the performance is great. The router only costed $39.99 I think too. ICS sucks beyond belief… why place NAT load on your system when you can offload it and get better performance for under $40?
I used a linux router myself, but you must remember for someone not used to it, it can be extremely testing to figure it out. The configuration files are pretty spread around, and many don’t like the filesystem layout. When you compare that to just pluggin it in basically…
thanks for all your help. I think I have it figured out now… :-?