setting up a home network

[Raven]

HI,
I am planning on networking 2 computers together but i am not sure of the best way to go about it.
I am on cable which is plugged into my comp via USB, can i use my main comp as a hub and just plug it into a 2nd comp via a network cable or do i need to get a router?
Can i just stick a junction on the USB cable from the modem to the comp so i have 2 comps attached to the same modem?

basicaly i would rather not spend around £100 on a router if i dont have to

 

[nOmoreCOAL]

Well I just made a lan at home w 2 computers usin a hub 25 euro w 5 slots ( I already have a router/modem w 1 slot) 3 cables cat5 for 10 euros. This is a 100mbit lan w internet connection for 2(til 4) computers. 1 slot goes to modem n the rest 2 computers. U can get 2x times speed if u have 2 comps w 2 cables each .
Oh ethernet required. Most computers have 1 slot on mainboard the last 1-2 years. Even laptop do

 

[Kagato]

I just brought a package from netgear to do it, 5 slot hub same as above, 2 ethernet cards on main pc (1 for cable 1 to go to hub) and then 1 ethernet card in my second pc.

I used sygate software when running win 98 (oh how I miss 98 ) but with the evil that is win XP its not needed.

 

[Bellona]

A router with buildin switch is no doubt the best, it will take care of sharing the internet, run a firewall etc.

with a switch/hub you will in some cases (most) have to share the internet with some software, unless you can just plug the modem in a switch/hub.

hubs are bad for large networks, they dont controll the traffic on the network, so all packets are sent all over the network, with too many computers on it, the network will be very slow.

switches costs about the same a hubs today, and are much better, as they controll the traffic, so you only have packets going from sender to reciever.

 

[Khale]

Just bought a router for my network here too (instead of my old 486 pc) and it works like a charm. Nice build in firewall, easy access and easy sharing. Don't need to have a pc all day on to internet (now it's just the small router, less power, less chance of blowing something cause my 486 ain't really new). Now it's plug in the cable set to dhcp and surf away. Only costed me 33,- Euro for a 4 port cable/adsl router.

 

[Apathy]

Did someone say eBay?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=5713700478&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

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[Apathy]

Actually, it all depends on your cable modem. Is it USB only or can you use an ethernet cable? If it's USB only, then the setup Katago uses is your only option - two NICs in one machine, acting as a gateway. The downside of this is that you need the gateway computer turned on if you want to use the net on the other machine and you can't expand your network very easily.

If the cable modem can use an ethernet cable, then buy that cheap £20 router (worked perfectly for me for best part of a year!), plug the modem into the WAN port, plug your two PCs into the other ports and off you go! Woo! And you can add up to another two PCs if you like. Or Macs. Or anything.

You'll need different cables to connect the PCs if you use the former method - crossover cables, not normal ethernet. Same price, really, but won't work at all if you get the wrong ones.

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[Takhasis]

direct connect cable for my broadband in my main pc for me, and then wireless USB to my laptop - good for 300ft anyway :worthy:

 

[Raven]

thanks for the help all