[klewlis]

ok there's no networking forum so I'll ask this here.

I know *nothing* so please explain it step-by-step.

I have two computers and one DSL connection. I want to get both computers online and give them filesharing between each other. That's it. Nothing fancy.

I know that I need a hub and a proxy.

Can someone explain to me the steps and how to do this?

Thanks!

[Thorian]

THe best How to guide for this is a book entitled this wired home. put out by the Microsoft press it is very straight forward and written for home users. The last edition I read only covered win 98/2k but that was 4 yrs ago .

[klewlis]

ok but i don't want to go out and buy a book. :P

are there any good web tutorials?

[mi6]

too simple...

assuming you are running windows xp and have a Network Adapter (ethernet) in each computer.

All you would need is a hub or switch and enough CAT5 cable to reach each computer and at least 2 ports. Hook the CAT5 cable coming from your DSL connection into the hub/switch port that says "uplink". Use the other ports to connect to the Network Adapter in each computer.

Now you have a few options on how to configure the network. The simplest if you have XP is to use ICS (internet connection sharing) to allow your internet connection to be shared (ironically ) between the computer. Run the "Set up home or small office network" wizard and XP will walk you through the neccesary steps. Quite painless actually.

If you want to share certain files, just right click and go to properties and under the "sharing" tab you will find the neccessary steps to share the files on your new network.

I am by no means an expert on networking, but I have a couple of home networks running in my home. One wireless and one 10BaseT and found them seriously easy to set up.

good luck
Scott

[klewlis]

ok one little problem.

one computer is win98 and the other is win95.

i remember years ago trying to get ICS working on win98 and could never get it working.

i'm looking at trying WinProxy (http://download.com.com/3000-2085-10175167.html?tag=lst-0-9)

is that a good idea?

[SoLi]

i used to use winproxy3 b4 i upgraded to XP. obviously its not as convinient as ICS, what with having to configure it all and ensure its running, but it did the job for me

[klewlis]

ok, i have it hooked up like this:

modem-->hub-->pc

but the hub light for the modem doesn't come on and there's no internet connection. is there something special i need to do? i've tried two different cables, and different ports. the light for the pc is on, just not the modem.

any ideas?

[SoLi]

when i had a 2 pc network i just did it direct without the hub.

i used crossover cat5 to connect the 2 pcs and then just left the modem in the main ( "gateway" ) pc. then installed the proxy service on the main pc and that was about my old setup.

[klewlis]

oh, ok, I got the thing working now....

I had to push the little uplink button and put it in the right port....

I have internet access!

Now I'm going to download a proxy and see how it goes...

[klewlis]

hey, I got the proxy working and I think everything's great.

last question:

should I get a firewall? if yes, are there any great free ones?

[mi6]

my personal favorite....sygate personal firewall. I also have tried McAfee, and Nortons but Sygate was easier and free. I finally ended up with a router that has a built it firewall.

[MarkoDaGeek]

Most brodband modems now days come with a small firewall built in , but that really is not enough anymore, i use Tiny personal firewall on all of my machines and i love it , its small doesnt use alot of system resouces and you have more control over it...

[gneato]

Klewlis, have you used both computers on the internet at once? Usually ISP's only give you *one* IP address. Using a plain-ol hub hooked up directly would require each computer to have it's own IP on the internet.

If you find out that your ISP in fact only gives you one IP, you have the following options:
(for your purposes right now a switch is the same thing as a hub)

<internet>
<dsl modem>
<router/firewall device/switch (all in one)> or a <router/firewall> with the <hub> plugged in to it
<computer> <computer>

*or*

<internet>
<dsl modem>
<nic 1 in computer a>
<computer a>
<nic 2 in computer a>
<crossover cable or hub and ethernet cables>
<computer b>

....



but anyway, if it's really working, please tell me exactly how it's hooked up ... I'm curious.

[iamcenz]

i would say choice one is the easiest, but choice be is less expensive, since another nic only cost 15 bucks. but i would bother with the crossover, just run a cat 5 to the hub from computer a, then cat 5 from the hub to computer b it will be sooo much easier!

[klewlis]

no my isp gives me two :)

which makes me life a whole lot easier, so apparently i don't need the proxy at all.

but my mom has 4 computers hooked up to dsl through a hub, and she does it by using one of the computers as a gateway (which is why i thought i needed a proxy).

that one computer has to be on in order for the others to access the net, and they all are set to use it, in their network setup.