posted on September 30, 2000 09:58:13 AM
Folks are flocking to high speed access, generally either via Cable or DSL. I've got DSL.
What I don't have is a system that will allow me to share that high speed internet access among the 3 computers in my home. I'd also like to be able to share a printer.
What's the best/easiest/fastest/cheapest way of making that happen? I've looked at some of the networking options at the local electronics stores, and the options and variations (wireless/wired; hubs/routers; various speeds, hardware firewall vs. software firewall) have got me kinda stumped.
What works for those of you who have done this??? What did it set you back? Where's the best resource on the web for this?
posted on September 30, 2000 10:36:38 AM
EASIEST:
Look at Intel's devices that use the existing wires in the house (phone or power?). One computer (the fastest one) has the host device and the rest have satellites. They can all use the Internet, although not necessarily all at once.
If I remember this correctly, it does not require installing ANY boards in any of the computers.
posted on September 30, 2000 10:39:53 AM
We started orginally using a hub and straight through cables. We had two NIC's in our main system that was connected to the cable modem, and we used Sygate Internet Sharing Software to allow the other two systems to share the cable internet connection. This had a couple of drawbacks, mainly no firewall protection, and the main system had to be up and connected to the internet for the others to browse. It also caused some lag and slowdowns on the main system when others were accessing the web.
We left the existing cabling in place, and put a Linksys Cable/DSL 4 port router in the place of the hub. This removes the necessity for the second NIC in the main system, and each computer is now independently connected to the internet with their own IP address. It gives us a hardware firewall as well.
We ordered the Linksys Router from buy.com for $148, during a free shipping special and no sales tax as well. We ordered it on a Wednesday and it arrived Friday afternoon. We had it up and running in about 20 minutes.
You need to have your home network up and running first, then add what ever method you choose to use to share your internet.
We have 192kbs DSL thru Covad, it came with a Flowpoint 2200 hub/10b router, built in firewall etc. Cost is $99 a month, the router usually runs $225, but Covad usually has specials, which we got. No printer sharing, but that can be set up independently thru Windows, if you want.
Have 3 computers on it now, and room for one more. Works great.
The third was just set up, and its in another part of the house, but that took running wires thru the basement and up thru the floor in the other room.
And all can use internet access at the same time.
Covad is online, but we got this thru Micron, for web hosting.
posted on September 30, 2000 11:06:48 AM
One of the easiest to set up is Diamond's Homefree. It comes in 2 speeds-get the 10mbps. You put a PCI card in each machine you want to share and then connect to the phone lines in your house. 2 card pac is about $100. Individual cards for additional systems can be purchased. Comes with very good software-nothing else is needed.
They also have wireless-though the reviews are mixed.
Good place for information is:
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/
I have deleted your post because it contained an auction number, and because it was promotional in nature. Posts of that nature are not allowed per the AW Community Guidelines.
posted on October 5, 2000 05:44:02 AM
A THOUGHT: Isn't there a HUGE SECURITY PROBLEM with "Printer Sharing," in Windoze, especially with DSL & Cable? I'm pretty sure that firewall guru (?Gibbons, or something like that) say to turn it OFF!
posted on October 5, 2000 05:56:37 AM
If you use a hardware solution such as the Linksys Router, you have a full firewall. If you pick another method to network your systems, you should run some sort of software firewall.
Turning off printer and file sharing on a home network sort of shoots the whole thing in the foot, since that is reason you want to network your systems in the first place. Being able to move files and print across the network is the whole point.
posted on February 2, 2001 07:45:10 PM
Not the cheapest route, but from my experience the most trouble free and easiest to set up is a router. This way, all the computers on your LAN can access the internet independant of each other. Prior to this, I had the two NIC card set up and software apparently similar to what Meya once had. This worked, but seemed a bit tempermental on the client machines. It also meant the main machine had to be on for all the other ones to be able to use the network.
As to the printer on the network, there are a couple of ways to go-there are printers with built in network cards, you just plug this into the router-they tend to be morre expensive. There is also a way to do it through windows98/ME/2000, but I haven't so cannot give you any help on how. You can also get a low end machine-like a 486 or a p75 and set it up as a print server, running the printer & scanner etc through this.
This link has an interesting software server solution:
http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/network.htm
posted on February 2, 2001 08:18:50 PM
Another excellant site is http://www.practicallynetworked.com. Tips on all forms of home networking as well as reviews on different brands of ethernet equipment. As far as prices, they have dropped considerably, at least out on the internet. Cat5 hard wired connections generally are the fastest, most dependable and easiest to configure network connection. If you are going to have to pay someone to pull cat5 wiring through your home, then it may well become more cost effective to look at wireless or phoneline networking. The last time I looked at it the biggest problems with these two network types was that there really wasn't a standard. Hopefully they have fixed that now, but I would make sure you can connect devices from different manufacturers up before you buy anything.
Regarding the reference to print sharing, one advantage of the routers is that they use NAT translation. All you really need to know about it is that the router has the IP address that the outside world uses to address your home. The router assigns an entirely different set of addresses to the computers inside your home. The router also will not pass Microsoft Networking outside of your home. This means that you can share your printers, drives, etc. within your home. It's not quite that easy, there are some steps you may need to take to ensure this is true, but you can get that information at the Practically Networked site above.
One other thing to consider when purchasing a router, some Cable modems are locked into the actual MAC address of your computer (each ethernet adapter made has a unique address). I use the NetGear RT311 (altho I'd get the RT314 if I were buying one today) because it can "spoof" the address of one of my computers and make the Cable company think they are still hooked up to the computer instead of the router. I'm currently running two to four (depending on which laptops are home) on my network and they can all access broadband thru my cable modem. It's great!
posted on February 3, 2001 04:32:53 AM
We use networking through the regular phone lines within the house, using 2wire. www.2wire.com
Whatever you do, don't forget a firewall. www.zonelabs.com has the highest rated firewall (better than blackice defender according to Strouds and Winmag) and it's FREE!
posted on February 3, 2001 04:45:13 AM
3 computers, 1 router, 3 NIC's, and 1 cable modem, 1 shared printer, and 1 shared Compact Flash card reader, all playing nicely together on a traditional wired network that supplies connections in 4 different rooms.
We ran it first without the router, using a 2 NIC system in the main computer and cable modem, but the main system had to be up and running for others to be on the net. We used Sygate software to share the internet connection. It also put a drain on the main system if others were downloading, with didn't go well with hubbies online gaming.
The method we use now allows any 1 of the three systems to be online, no matter what the others might be doing. They get their own IP address directly from the router. It also did away with the need to use 2 NIC's in the main system. The router gives us a Firewall as well, so we're hidden on the net.
Running the cable wasn't too bad, and the router is in the basement up in the ceiling rafters. The hardest cable was the one going to the second floor. It is more visable if you know where to look. We had to run it up the corner wall in the family room, but it is hidden by the built in book shelf. I can sit on my bed, and use my portable.
One hint...no matter which method you choose. Get your home network up and running correctly before you try to figure out the internet sharing.
Being able to move files and print across the network is the whole point.