Home network

[SLF 999]

Something that I have been toying with doing is creating a home network, actually thats not quite right it was to share an ADSL net connection, it will only be for 2 PCs and I was thinking of going down the wireless route.

Looking at the BT site (I realise that I could get the kit cheaper elsewhere) I would need a new ADSL modem and 2 wireless cards which would come to about £250

Has anyone done this or is there an easier option?

Any issues that I need to look out for?

If this has been discussed before (and I think it has been) Im more than happy to look at that thread (I just cant find it !)

[CBLong]

I've done this, but for an ISDN line, not ADSL. I imagine the same principles apply though - the key bit of kit is a single box which combines an Ethernet hub, router and ISDN (ADSL in your case) terminal adapter (ie modem, although technically it's not a modem :) ). My setup's not wireless, but I guess you would either buy a wireless hub/router/TA, if such things exist, or just plug the normal wireless receiver thingy into the hub/router/TA.

It took a bit of setting up but was basically straightforward and extremely convenient. The hub/router/TA does dial-on-demand and can be programmed to drop the line after so many seconds of inactivity, dial up on the second ISDN channel if the first one is busy for more than so many seconds, etc etc. I now have three machines that can connect to each other and the internet all at the same time, sharing the connection - well worth doing.

cbl.

ps I'd upgrade to ADSL myself but such high technology hasn't reached my part of East Kent yet!

Edited to add: My hub/router/TA is an Arescom Netlinker - they don't appear to make them any more, but they do have the ADSL equivalent, which is what you need - see their website (http://www.arescom.com/Arescom/Arescom_2002/Products/Products_Main.cfm) for more. I don't know anything about BT's kit but I've had no trouble at all with the my Netlinker...

[SLF 999]

Thanks for replying , the site you pointed me to looks exactly what Im looking for.

[Background Noise]

I'm not well up on networks but I think that for 2 PCs only you can connect them with a crossover cable without a router or hub or whatever it is which, providing cabling is practical, would be a cheap way to start/experiment.

[Bo Lux]

I'm not well up on networks but I think that for 2 PCs only you can connect them with a crossover cable without a router or hub or whatever it is which, providing cabling is practical, would be a cheap way to start/experiment.

100% right. I've done it and it works allowing 2 machines to share the same cable modem. Cost - I think for a 5m cable, I was charged about £5 by a small computer shop. Never seen one in PC World.

[SLF 999]

This sounds like an option, But how does the ADSL connection get shared ?, do I need to buy any other kit?, although Im in IT networks are a black art, so if someone could explain it I would be obliged.

[spannersatcx]

What operating system are you using. If its XP it is a doddle, did it about a month ago. Just go through the network wizzard, it allows you to surf the ineternet from the 2nd pc plus you can file share, share a printer etc. Both pc's need to be on though.

All you need is a NIC (network interface card) £10, and as said a cross over cable, very important, it has to be a cross over cable otherwise it won't work.

If you want to connect 3 or more pc's then you are talking hubs etc.

Depending on how many NIC's you need and length of cable shouldn't cost more than £50

a couple of sites http://networking.ittoolbox.com/ http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/category04

[flyingfemme]

I've had a 2/3 machine network in the home office for 5 years and went ADSL (sharing the connection) a year ago. The main drawback with connection sharing in this manner is that the host machine must always be on (and working). Since my setup is so old I am going wireless now that the new standard is out.
If you are not already using broadband, that part of the cost would be there anyway. The wireless network seems to be no more expensive than the wired if you want an ADSL router - trust me, you do. It gives each machine independant access to the net and to each other and to peripherals attached to both.
You need - wireless card for each machine, ADSL modem/router and a broadband line with filter.
It will be very flexible - you can shift PCs without problems; visitors with wireless laptops will have access to your LAN.

[snodgrass]

Like the previous poster said, it's a doddle with Win XP.
I now have my kids pcs and my wife's laptop linked to mine on a hub, all sharing a BT broadband modem.
I just ran Network set up wizard on my pc, during the set up you get the option to make a disk which you then run on the other pc's in order to get them set up....simple !
If you want to share files you then have to enable network sharing.

[expedite_climb]

If you share your connection that way don't forget that you'll have to have the main Pc on for the one that is sharing to acess the internet.

It is possible to buy a wireless router, which is effectively a adsl modem and a wireless ethernet hub.

You could take it one stage further by buying a printer sharer. Again, you can share via xp etc, but need the main pc on to do this. A printer sharer is another box on your desk which does the job.

I'm not wireless, but I have a hub and a seperate hub. The ability to go down to the front room with the laptop and plug in is great.

All of this info is on this forum in the last year, if you go back far enough.

Good luck

[SLF 999]

Thanks Guys , think that wireless is the way I want to go. I do have XP on the boxes so looks like it could be a mainly painless exercise (apart from the wallet !!)

Thanks to all for responding

[phnuff]

Just converted my previously 2 crossed cable network to a 3 computer radio network and on the 2 XP machines, it was a doddle. The 2000 machine (which I always think is better than XP), was an absolute pig to make talk but now works well.. Anyway, running in ad-hoc mode, the 3 units cost £180.

Watch out for chalk marks on the wall!!

[Green Bottle 2]

I've had home networks for some time now. I originally had
a wired network that had a hub about £30 and wire connection with PC cards overall cost about £100. Today I have a wireless network and I'm about to connect to ADSL. I am using a zoomair 4165 wireless router firewall hub. It was easy to set up, you can use a combination of wireless and it has a couple of wired network ports, a connection for a cable modem or isdn modem, a printer server (you connect your printer to it and all the computers connected to your network can use the printer - all that has to be on is the 4165 and the printer) and you can also use an ordinary dial upmodem via its serial port. I have a zoomair pcmcia card in my laptop to connect it to internet / network via the 4165 and a cable connecting my desktop to the 4165.

Wireless network is much tidier but if your computers are close to the adsl socket and you don't mind the cabling wired networks are dirt cheap by comparison. I've done networks with Linux, win 95, 98, nt4, win2000 and XP. XP won hands down for ease of use setting up.

You should be able to get a wireless router/adsl modem but if either of the computers is close to the adsl connection, a wired connection for that computer may save a bit of cash.

Hope this give some food for thought.

GB2

[Digitalis]

Wonder if any of you experts can help me, as I'm having trouble getting my wireless network to work!

I have an ADSL connection through a Speedtouch 350 USB modem, connected directly to the desktop computer. A Linksys WRT54G wireless router is connected to the computer via port 1 and the computer's ethernet connection, using a CAT6 cable. My laptop has a Buffalo 802.11b wireless PCMCIA card installed. So far, so good.

Using the Linksys setup routine, a wireless LAN was created, which seemed to go OK, and the Network Wizard was run on both the desktop and laptop computers. The laptop can see the wireless connection, and reports that it is connected. However, it can't see either the desktop computer or the internet connection via the network! The desktop seems unable to see the wireless router, and neither computer can see the network created through the Network Wizard.

I've followed through the various troubleshooting routines. I've tried pinging both ways without success. I'm beginning to wonder if the relationship between the USB modem, desktop and router is incorrect (in spite of 'professional' advice otherwise), and that I need an ADSL modem that can use a 10/100 connection direct to the router's 'internet' input.

Any thoughts?