networking 4 computers help please?

Hi guys,i need help in setting up a small lan please.I have four computers that i need to network.3 computers will be running windows xp and main operating system will be running windows server 2003.

i have Micronet SP608SF switch and dlink ADSL router modem.In terms of connecting the 4 computers to the the switched am required to use stright through cables?correct if im wrong?and also to connect the adsl router modem to the switch im required to use cross over?

for the printer?should i share it or use printer server

any links or any tips you can provide me please

 

Normal cable from PC to switch.

I think the switch is smart enough to sense which wiring setup you have and deal with it so probably either cable for switch to modem via the uplink port. I think.

XP - pro or home?

Print server is always better than having the printer slaved to a PC and shared that way.

What router/modem?

 

Newt thanks for the reply,,,,
I will be running Windows XP Professional,the dlink is adsl router modem that i will use for the adsl connection.

Newt
when you say Normal cable from PC to switch?you reffering to stright through cables?or can use both?

Thanks

 

Normal - I meant the sort that are wired directly thru so
pin1<->pin1
pin2<->pin2
pin3<->pin3
etc.
rather than the sort that have TX at one end to RX at the other.

I was interested in the specific router/modem since they are sort of unusual and I wanted to look over the specs for my own education.

Sounds like you will have an interesting setup. Is the 2K3 server going to be a domain controller or will you stay with workgroups?

 

Thanks for the reply,
I have configured the server as a work group for now.I have configured everything however,i encountered few problems

I can see both computers in work group however when i click on planet00-04(pc2) it say's not accessable,but i can access it's shared files.the same goes with planet00-1(pc1).


I haven't assigned any ip addresses to the workstations. At first i could ping both computers, but now i cannot ping each other. i can only ping the pc it self.

all the os are running windows xp service pack1
i'm using stright through cables & hub

any idea

 

You'll have lots better luck with XP (pro or home) if you are loggin on to each PC with a username and non-blank password.

"i'm using stright through cables & hub "

Also, switch and hub do somewhat similar things but are absolutely not the same type of device so it can make a difference. You mentioned switch in the initial posting and hub later. Hopefully you do have a switch.

 

Sorry i meant i'm running a switch,I'm using blank password but it shouldn't have any effect?ill try using password....btw what about not been able to ping each other?sorry im asking too much

i was able to ping each other at first

 

No ping is usually a firewall issue. Otherwise, it might be an address issue.

Do this on all PCs and post the contents of the resulting text files:

start~run~cmd
ipconfig /all > c:\config.txt

 

Newt ,
Thanks alot i got everything working,,,,,it was thesomething to do with computer names,,much appreciated