simple network

i have two pc's at home and i am planning to network these two pc's together so that i would be able to share files and even to start putting my "hands on" into networking.

Since now i have concluded that i need a nic card on each pc, a hub/switch and an RJ45 wire from each pc to the switch/hub.

Can someone inform me what else do i need to start setting my networking up?

The computers are in the same room, not far away from each other. I think that i would also need a UTP cable, is that right?

Thanks for your help!

 

Start without a hub or router!

The simplest newtork is a direct connection. You will neeed either a crossover cable or better a straignt cable and a crossover plug.

Once the two PCs are hooked, play with the protocols etc etc.



Moreover, "routers" come in many forms. Nowadays even the simpler peer-to-peer hubs can be good enough for a home nw.


A router may eg contain a "DHCP" server that will assign automatically TCP/IP addresses. But if you get eg a Cable or DSL Ethernet modem, these too contain a DHCP server - so you don't need to have it in the router.

I think it may be a good idea to plan ahead based on how you think you will get on the net.

- If you use an analog modem, just get a hub - you my share the internet connection via one of the PCs to the other

- if you will have DSl or cable, the choice is between connecting ONE pc directly (so you may want a PCI-card internal modem or a USB external modem) or two independently, in which case you want a modem that outputs directly on the network, via ethernet.

There are also cost effective 2-in-1 jobs that will do both router work, assign IP on the fly fia DHCP, and also contain the modem which is controlled through a browser (oh, of course they also contain a mini web server for that purpose...). You may save some 10-40 bucks of you get one of those.

Even humble hubs nowadays may have some routerish features. A full router can be programmed to either set ports at preset IP addresses or to assign them on the fly. But also some hubs will, as traffic starts, begin by repeating an incoming packet to all ports, but in no time they will learn where each comp is, and suppress packets to all the other ports but the one where the addressee sits - even if they do NOT have a DHCP or any other way of knowing who is where in advance.

Now, all this is TCP/IP... don't ask me how IPX works... I use it a lot, but in a special way:

- I exclusively bind folder and printer sharing to IPX/SPX, not to TCP/IP

- my home cops talk to each other via IPX/SPX, but to the rest of the world via TCP/IP

So, someone would have to use the orlder protocol totry and break in...

-