Another Networking Q - RJ45 Cross Over Cables

[tonymaclennan]

As you will know from my other thread, I want to network 2 computers to share a broadband connection.
Both computers have network cards now, one is a USB network card.
Anyway, I header about RJ45 Cross Over cables, I heard I could use them to connect the 2 computers together and share the connection, BUT I then heard that you use them to connect the computer the a router.

Can somebody help me, tell me which it is?

So I have a broadband connection with Tiscali, they provide a free broadband modem that connects to the telephone line. I have 2 computers, one with internal network card and one with external network card. And now I have a RJ45 Cross Over cable (when its delivered). Will this work or is there any thing else I need?

Thanks

[timebase]

You can join 2 puters using a cross-over Cat5E cable connecting the 2 network cards. If you have a router then you connect each network card to the router using a straight Cat5E cable...connection details can be found on Google. There are several advantages of using a router...You can run as many puters as you have connections on the router and then expand using a switcher box as I did. A router also acts as a firewall . Hope this helps.

[kenpem]

Tony, this should work!

IGNORE people who tell you that a router is required - chances are they are trying to sell you one! To be fair, routers are very useful & valuable bits of kit, but for a two-PC network, it's overkill.

Plug everything in... now start playing with network settings on the secondary computer (that's a laptop, right?).

First make sure that each PC has a seperate IP, and make sure you know what they are!

Next set up the primary PC's internet connection to be SHARED.

Now set the secondary PC's default gateway to the IP of the primary PC, set the netmask to 255.255.255.0, and if you're lucky, you now have the internet running on both puters!

There are several thousand things that can go wrong here, but in it's simplest form, this can work. If you're battling, post as much detail as you can here, and I'm sure several folks will try to help out.

If things DO go wrong, break the problem down into components:
1. Can the primary PC access the internet?
2. Can the primary & secondary PCs "see" each other over the network?
3. Try pinging between the PCs.
etc.

Good luck!

[tonymaclennan]

Thanks KenPem, I found that very useful.
I will let you know how it goes. I have a USB Network card, and awaiting a RJ45 Cross Over cable I bought on eBid. Ow, also awaiting modem from Tiscali.
I have bought a high speed USB Hub but the USB drive in my Laptop is low speed so problems there, is there some kind of connector that can connect the USB Hub into a higher speed port such as the port some mouses plug in to (I have a USB mouse) - this is on the lapTop (Secondary Computer). ??
Also, isn't the IP address determined by the phone line or is it the IP Number of each individual computer? And how can I find the IP address?
There are various instructions with the USB Network Card to help me connect the 2 computers so that will also help but that just explains the basics like playing with network settings but not how to get such information as IP.

Thanks

[kenpem]

Thanks KenPem, I found that very useful.
I will let you know how it goes. I have a USB Network card, and awaiting a RJ45 Cross Over cable I bought on eBid. Ow, also awaiting modem from Tiscali.
I have bought a high speed USB Hub but the USB drive in my Laptop is low speed so problems there, is there some kind of connector that can connect the USB Hub into a higher speed port such as the port some mouses plug in to (I have a USB mouse) - this is on the lapTop (Secondary Computer). ??
Also, isn't the IP address determined by the phone line or is it the IP Number of each individual computer? And how can I find the IP address?
There are various instructions with the USB Network Card to help me connect the 2 computers so that will also help but that just explains the basics like playing with network settings but not how to get such information as IP.

Thanks

Wow that's a mouthful!

I don't quite understand the USB speed concern, but *MOST* USB2 ("High Speed") devices *SHOULD* automagically downgrade their speed to whatever the host (or hub) can handle, so you'll probably get away with it. Conversely, a high-speed USB port on the PC will not "speak" faster than the devices connected to it. At least in theory.

To find out your PC's IP (or all IP's as the case may be), you'll need to hunt around under network settings.

The internet-connected PC will have TWO IP's, one for the internal network, and one for the outside world - at least in theory.

The external IP is dictated (and auto-set) by your service provider, and liable to change without notice, although some ISPs give very long "leases" on broadband connections - mine's been static for over a year now.

Almost always, the internal "localhost" IP is 192.168.0.1 so just make sure the laptop doesn't have THAT one. In fact, don't even set it on the laptop, leave everything auto-configured except the default gateway, which should be 192.168.0.1. When you share the connection on the primary PC, Windows *SHOULD* automagically reconfigure that PC's IP to 192.168.0.1 internally, and tell you that it has done so.

I guess don't panic right now! Wait until the modem arrives. Then first get the primary PC up & running on the net before concerning yourself with connection sharing.

In the meantime, if the crossover cable arrives first, there's nothing stopping you from getting the inter-PC network going.

Once you've got the internet going, and got the inter-PC network running, you're only a short spit away from a shared connection. At this point, if you're having major problems, try grab hold of me again, and we'll get a remote support session running.

Good luck, and don't be afraid to play!

Ken.

[tonymaclennan]

What A Mouth Full.
i have the primary computer workign fine and conected.
Im lost though, the driver for the USB Network Card is installed but where do I go from there?

[kenpem]

before I start going into menu selections, please tell me which operating system you have on each PC?

but the next step would probably be to plug the crossover cable in and connect the two PCs.

[tonymaclennan]

but the next step would probably be to plug the crossover cable in and connect the two PCs.

LOL. Done That. I did mess with network settings and f**ked my comp (secondary). All my personal settings have disappeared, my files disappeared, I have to navigate to c drive document & settings then the find them in there. Anyway, that dosn't matter.

before I start going into menu selections, please tell me which operating system you have on each PC?

I have XP Home on Primary and XP Pro on Secondary.

Thanks

[tonymaclennan]

I now have it set-up.
I can access the files in shared area on the comp now. I created a short cut in there to my documents, then when accessing it with the other comp the short cut went to y documents area on my comp (secondary).
How can I access files on the primary computer and share the internet connection?

[kenpem]

I now have it set-up.
I can access the files in shared area on the comp now. I created a short cut in there to my documents, then when accessing it with the other comp the short cut went to y documents area on my comp (secondary).
How can I access files on the primary computer and share the internet connection?

First, the file access:
On the primary computer, in Windows Explorer, right-click the directory (or C:\) you want to access from the secondary, then select "Sharing". I don't use Windows XP, so from that point onwards, you're on your own, but it should be relatively straightforward. If Sharing doesn't appear, try a tab under "Properties".

Make sure you've got this working before moving on...

Now for the shared internet:
(SO much of this depends on the OS, and type of modem, so you'll have to fiddle a bit)

The Control Panel is your friend here. On the primary PC, look under Modems. If your ASDL modem appears as a Modem, go into its properties and look for a "share this connection" option.

If not, go into Network settings, and look for the network adaptor that talks internally (in other words, the one with the cable connected to the secondary PC). Now find the TCP/IP protocol for that adaptor, and go into its Properties. Set the IP to 192.168.0.1 and mask to 255.255.255.0.

Now move to the secondary PC, into the TCP/IP properties of the network adaptor. Set the IP to 192.168.0.2, the mask to 255.255.255.0 and the default gateway to 192.168.0.1.

If you're lucky, everything will now work.

If not, PM, let me know when you'll be available, and we'll try to get a remote support connection going.

Good Luck!

Ken.