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I have 3 computers hooked up to a single internet connection via a hub.
I would like to hook them into a network, but each computer should be stand alone, so that each can hook to the internet without having to have another unit on.
Is this possible?
As an alternate, is it possible to 'hard wire' 2 computers together for the purposes of sharing files, say with a USB/Serial cable? What would be required to do this?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Rocker
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First of all, welcome to the board. I'll tell you how I have mine set up. I have two XP systems and a 98 systems. All are hooked up to a router (Linksys) with patch cables and use the same cable Internet connection. Each system can use the Internet whether it's the only system on or if all are on. Also, I am able to share files from any system to any other system. When you set up your Network, make sure the Workgroup name is the same for each and the individual computer names are different. If you need help with the setting, let us know what systems you have.
You are welcome. The first thing you will want to do is get a router. You will need that to share the Internet connection. As I mentioned, I have a LinkSys BEFSR41 router. No setup needed, just plug the cables in and you're set. You will need patch cables to go to each system.
Once you have the router, we can go from there. I'll get back to this post tomorrow after some sleep.
1 XP machine and two 98SE machines have been hooked to it for quite some time.
Two days ago I got a new HP Deskjet 5850 Printer and plugged it into the Router.
Now I have 3 100% independent machines. None of them any longer depend on this XP machine for anything. Whereas before if it went down nobody could print.
And the Router does all of the work of assigining addresses.
I am not sure about the situation with a hub but with the Router NetBEUI is not needed. XP does not have it anyway unless the user adds it. I had it in XP Pro but lost it when I did a repair install.
And with the Router everything is TCP/IP anyway.
Also as a suggestion. Get yourself a NetWork capable Printer. I just got one ( HP DeskJet 5850 ) and it is far better than sharing. Now If this machine which had the shared Printer goes down the others can still print. ( if I do not shut the printer off that is )
Net BEUI is great for a simple filesharing network as no configuration is required IT JUST WORKS !
However its not routable and so broadcasts on whatever network its connected to
As routing is required for the internet, TCP/IP is used and, as everyone uses the Internet nowadays, TCP/Ip is how most home networks are setup
Personally I'd say that if you have the knowledge to configure the TCP/IP stack on your PCs correctly teh I'd do without netBEUI, its only slowing things down
If you are using TCP/IP for filesharing make sure you use a HOSTS file on the PCs - much quicker !
As routing is required for the internet, TCP/IP is used and, as everyone uses the Internet nowadays, TCP/Ip is how most home networks are setup
Personally I'd say that if you have the knowledge to configure the TCP/IP stack on your PCs correctly teh I'd do without netBEUI, its only slowing things down
Routing is also required on my LAN. The Router does all the asigning of addresses. I have to configure nothing as far as TCP/IP goes.
I myself no longer uses sharing on a permanent basis. I only enable sharing when I want to get something from one PC to the other. When done I disable sharing. What others can't see they can't mess up.
Now all I need to do is figure out how to get rid of ( or disable ) the drivers and stuff that XP sets as shared by defaut.
Personally I'd say that if you have the knowledge to configure the TCP/IP stack on your PCs correctly teh I'd do without netBEUI, its only slowing things down
AndyO - absolutely true.
But the amount of slowdown from NetBeui's habit of broadcasting would only be noticed on a larger network - and especially a 10Mbps larger network.
You will have some performance hit on any network but for the folks with 10 or fewer machines and running 100Mbps, you'd need some pretty fancy diagnostics to figure out how much of a hit since the user wouldn't notice.
Mike - if you have file and printer sharing enabled you would be a little safer if it was only set to use NetBeui since no one from outside your network could 'see' the traffic even if you were totally unprotected. If you have a router using NAT and a firewall of some sort, the danger is more like the speed issue with NetBeui - real but probably of no consequence.
I would like to hook them into a network, but each computer should be stand alone, so that each can hook to the internet without having to have another unit on.
If you wish to accomplish the above you need a Router and not a hub.
You will also need a Network Capable printer. I just installed one a few days ago and it is one of the better moves I have made lately. No PC is has to rely on another for anything.
The Printer plugs directly into the Router and provides a more reliable AND MUCH FASTER printing source. It even has its own IP address which is provided by the Router.
It also illiminates the unreliable and SLOW Printer SHARING. Each machine goes directly to the Printer and not threw another machine.
You can not have any sharing ( such as Printer sharing ) and have a stand-alone machine.
