simple networking

R

rixx

Geek Trainee
hi, can anyone help me with this simple question please. which makes more sense/what is the difference between?

(2 computers, 1 modem, 1 switch)

modem to switch, then both computers will connect to this switch

or

modem to the host(USB), host to switch and the other puter connects to switch.

i want to share internet connection and files. i have internet on both machines but i cant get the filesharing lan to work, right now i have option 2.

thanks
 
the switch is a 10/100mbps Nway, it has filter adress tables. sorry forgot to mention that . .
 
Let me get this straight, correct me if I'm wrong :

You have a usb modem, with no RJ-45 connector.

If so, if you connect your modem into one system (with the usb port), that system (which will need a network card to connect to the switch ; this computer will be the gateway) into the switch, and the other computer (which will also need a network card) into the switch also, it should work.

If you have Win XP or Win 2000, you should be able to share the connection with the built-in program that these OS have, but you have to config the gateway and the other computer to share the connection or else it will not work.

Keep in mind both computers will have an IP, so both computers will be seen from the net. Maybe your ISP will not want to give you 2 IP, you will have make sure you can.
File sharing should not be an issue as the computers will see eachother because of the switch, considering you have configured windows for file sharing.
The gateway must also be turned on at all time to share the connection.

If you have Win 98 or ME, I don't know if they can do it by themselves or if you'll need another program to make it work.

If you only want 1 IP, you can plug your modem into your computer, and the computer into the other one with an RJ-45 crossover cable, in that case, you will not need the lan switch. You can use the switch anyway, between both computers, in that case, you will not need a crossover cable, but you will need more cables, the advantage is that you will have the possibility to plug several computers into the switch.
For those, you will either need to make the gateway a DHCP, which will provide the other computer with an IP, or you can manually give the other computer an IP.
Your gateway will be seen from the net, but not the other computer.

In any case, it would be good to have any sort of firewall program like zonealarm.

So you must config windows to share the internet connection, and config it to share files.
 
ok i have xp, the other puter has 2000. right now i have the modem to computer via usb, then i connect to the switch which connects to the other computer. internet works fine on both computers but i cant get file sharing to work as there is a problem with the network path. if i understand correctly u r saying in this situation the client computer takes its IP via dhcp from the gateway (ie server computer).

the modem does have ethernet so i got to thinking what if i plug it to the switch and then both puters can take from the switch - would this would be more efficient? what is the standerd procedure in this situation? also if i reconfigured it like this what would be the implication for IP addresses?

thanks for yor answer and i hope this clarifies the situation a bit more.
 
Speedwise there wouldn't be any difference.
There would still be 2 IPs, which would be (like in your current config) provided by your ISP, not by the gateway.

For what you're proposing, you would need a crossover cable between the modem and the switch.

Both computers should be able to see eachother and use the modem, if configured correctly (internet connection sharing and file sharing).

I also think your proposition would be more efficient as you wouldn't need to have one computer turned on all the time to go on the net.

If you ping both computers and get responses, but still cannot share, then there's a config problem, not a hardware problem.
 
For an easier setup, try using the networking wizard on both machines. Then just verify that they use the same protocols. You may need to reboot for things to fly, but that's an easier way to fix it.
 
harrack52
if i just connect ethernet( rj-45) between the 2 computers and i only take 1 IP number, i didn't know that, do u know how it works?

bigb
i tried with the network wizard but found it easier to maually configure it. the xp wizard seems to want to include my 1394 connection in to the lan unless i choose my settings.

im still having problems. i can ping the nonserver but not by hostname, he can ping me by both address and hostname. im not sure of dns settings, whether that should be the server via the hosts file or an isp dns.

also in the win2000 machine (nonserver) there is only 1 active connection in network places (this computer has internet) does it need 2 connections to enable sharing files on the lan?

thank you thus far . .
 
I usually manually configure it too, but sometimes when doing a LAN party, I find its easier to run the wizard than fool around with the manual settings.

You don't need 2 connections to enable file sharing. If the drive or folder has been shared, it should be on the network.

IEEE1394 can be used as a networking device, but you'll have to daisy-chain all PC's on the network. It might help to uncheck any protocols on the 1394 adapter and take it from there.

I'd make sure both systems have the same networking protocols and configurations and, of course, workgroup.
 
as i mentioned i have 2 connections in network places (xp) on the server computer. one is the internet and the other the lan.

I only have a default gateway on the internet connection. The other computer which is networked to the server has its default gateway as the servers IP on the lan - (the 2 connections on the server have different IP addresses)

This cant be right can it? i have played about with the settings but i cant work it out.

thanks
 
I haven't played with internet connection sharing, but I do know there is a wizard for that.

Here, I'm running a switch between PC's, and the switch is connected to our gateway/router which hooks into the DSL modem.
 
Sorry about the late reply, but I wanted to make sure I had everything straightened up before telling you.

So here's what you have to do :

First of all, both computers have to be in the same workgroup, as BigB said.

Second of all, you will need a crossover cable between both computers.

Once you did that, under the TCP/IP protocol, you gotta put an IP in both computers manually. I suggest that they start by 192.168, which is private, which keeps others from spoofing your address.
After that, you put your subnet mask which can be 255.255.255.0, in both computers.

Let's call the computer which has the modem Net0 and the other, Net1.
In the gateway section, you have to put the Net0 IP on Net1.
So if Net0's IP is 192.168.1.1, then in the gateway section of Net1 you'll put 192.168.1.1.
You put nothing in that section for Net0.

For the dns, you have to put your ISP's, which you must know, or you can ask them.
Then you have to restart, obviously, and everything should work just fine.
For file sharing, you'll have to have "File and printer sharing for microsoft networks" installed. Then share something to see if it works.

Keep in mind that Net0 will have to be turned on for Net1 to have access to the net.

And both computers must be turned on for them to share files or printers.
 
thanks for the replies . .
i have just found out that as my switch does not have routing capabilities i would be unable to connect modem, switch, both puters. Harrack u suggested using a crossover cable between both pc's, i presume this is a different cable to the ethernet ones i have (is it?) since they do not work without the switch. However i have configured as u suggested (but with the modem, puter, switch, other puter configuration) and i can share internet but file sharing still aint working. I dont want to buy another cable since in theory this way should work.

the computer directly connected to the modem (net0) can ping the other by ip only, net1 can ping by hostname and ip. I have edited the hostfiles to include ip's and hostnames etc.

I first make a shared file on each puter. Then i make this a network place with add network place. then i run add network place and try to add the places on the network from each computer. This never works and i get network path not found error.

the whole situation is really frustrating now. The problem must be down to host name resolution since net0 cant ping net1 by hostname. However there are other things which maybe of interest . .

-i have enabled tcp/ip over netbios on both networks

-on net0 there are 2 connections, i have given each a dns suffix but i have an ip monitor which reports that the lan connection has no hostname. In the hosts files i have entered the ip from the lan connection and its hostname.

-When i look in network places there is no shared hand on the lan connections, it is always on the internet connection. If i disable file sharing on the internet connection it automatically returns. I am sure the lan connection is the one which should have the shared hand.

hope this helps stimulate some answers. thanks for help
 
A crossover cable is a rj-45 cable with pins inverted inside, at that time I don't know which one are but I will ask my father tonight.
I believe that the reason you cannot share files is that you do not have that crossover cable, although I thought internet sharing wouldn't work either.
You can wether buy this cable from a store (which are relatively expensive for what it is), or do it yourself, if you have the necessary equipment (plastic connectors, pliers that will fix the connector to the cable, and patience(!) since it is a precision job)
I will have more info on your other problems tonight, although I believe they will be solved once you have that particular cable.
You could always plug your modem into net0, net0 into the switch as well as net1. But your ISP would then have to give you 2 IPs, I know my ISP does not want to do that kinda stuff. They even don't like the fact that we split the bandwith(!), since they don't wanna have complaints about speed, and support is tougher to give.
 
my isp is giving me 2 addresses and they havn't had a problem with it so far. the setup now is modem, net0, switch, net1. i appreciate that the crossover should fix it but i have bought a switch and its gonna work . . especially since once i solve it i can plug other puters into the switch. thanks for the help . . its gonna be interesting to know how the crossover cable is different to the cables i am using now
 
Happy to know it's working.

You only need crossover cables in certain situations, like when you connect two computers in a lan.
 
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