101 networking questions.

networking United Kingdom
  • 16 years ago

    the background...


    i have 1 machine (the family machine) which has internet access.
    this computer is only turned on when needed, and turned off when finished with,


    it has 1 free USB port, and 1 Netwwork card.


    the cable modem can be connected to to this PC via USB or network card.


    i also have a network HUB


    ive just bought 30meters of network cable.


    i have a second PC in another room, it has 1 network card.




    the question..


    i want to connect the second PC to the main PC for simple networking (ftp file transfere / print shareing via CUPS)


    i know i can do this by crimping my 30meter cable as crossover cable, directly linking the 2 network cards, then making the
    main pc connect to the internet via USB.


    this setup will work, and i am happy with this... however, it would be pretty cool if the machine in the other room could share the internet.
    with the above proposed setup, the other machine would only have internet access while the downstairs machine is powered on.


    before you say anything... yes, i know the solution is a router.. but im a very very poor student and they are too expensive for me.


    SO.. before i crimp my cable. (i dont have a crimper yet, or any of theose plastic plugs) i have some questions...


    a possible solution, would be to connect the main pc to the modem VIA USB, and the other machine to the modem via network cable...
    this would give ONE machine internet access, depending on which was turned on first.... which is okay, very rarely are both machines turned on at once.


    BUT... this would mean then the 2 pc's would not be connected to each other...


    here are 2 possible sollutions... please give your opinions on them..


    Possible solution 1:*******************************
    Both PC's and the modem are connected to a HUB.
    what i hope would happen.
    the first machine to be turned on would detect settings via DHCP (yes, my ISP uses DHCP)
    the second machine to be turned on, would connect to the internet via the first machine  to be turned on via the first machines router software ( used as a gateway by other machine)


    i know this has littlechance as in thesor, the router machine should have 2 network interfaces.


    Possible Solution 2********************************
    same setup as above.. except with the addition of a USB cable between the modem and main PC.
    what i hope would happen......


    hopefully, i could setup windowsXP to connect to the internet via USB (even though the ethernet net card is plugged in)
    the main PC's ethernet net card will be given a STATIC ip address.
    in the case that the main pc is switched on first, it conects to te internet via USB, and acts as a gteway / router though its ethernet network card.
    the machine in the other room will ping the main pc... if it is turned on, then use it as a gateway.
    if it is not turned on, reset the internet settings, and attempt to discover DHCP.


    in the case where the machine in the other room is switched on first... obviously, the main pc will not have an internet connection.



    so.. what ya think ?
    dont worrk about the complicated settings... the machine doing all the pinging, shuting down ethernet, and restarting at runtime and all that crap will be done by a linux machine... (i can sett that up eeeeeazy !)


    im just wanting your opinion on the physical network wireing setup proposals..


    wow.. compliated or what !!!!


    thanx for any help


    (ooh, or maybe you have an alternate sollution ?)


  • 16 years ago
    Why couldn't you just connect both computers via cat 5 cable to the modem--the modem to the wall and be done with it?  
  • 16 years ago

    cos the modem only has one Ethernet cable
    ALSO..... i dont have a router.

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