need help to build a network of 2 pcs (1 Viewer)

[felix_suwarno]

i have 2 pcs at home. i want to share my current broadband connection with the other pc. i bought another ip address already.

i also have wireless usb adapter and a wireless access point. i am also using a cable modem.

do i need a router for this? cant i just connect the cable modem to the wireless access point directly?

 

[Ammon]

The easiest solution is to use Windows XP as it has the Internet Connection Sharing. This is found in the connection properties. Enable that and hook both PC's into the same hub, and the other PC should pick up the Internet Connection automatically. Windows 2000 also has this as well. Technically, you don't need another IP address as you can share the existing connection through the network.

 

[John_Berger]

No, the easiest and most secure method would be to not purchase a second IP address and use a LinkSys (I recommend the BEFSR41 or BEFSR81) or other competitor's cable/broadband router instead.
This provides reliable DHCP services to the rest of the network so that you don't have to buy another IP address for additional machines; and (more importantly) it provides a hardware firewall to prevent any kind of port scanning or other intrusions. Newer versions of the LinkSys fireware also integrate with Zone Alarm Pro and PCcillin, include SNMP trapping, and provide better port forwarding.
The WAP will then plug into one of the ports in the router, which doubles as a 10/100 Mb switch.
Windows Internet Connection Sharing. { shuddering } Don't do that to the poor fellow!

 

[felix_suwarno]

okay, let me rephrase this clearer. i dont know anything about wireless networking.
first. i just bought a router that will arrive in 2 days. i also purchased one more ip address for that other pc.
how do i connect all this? is this right :
internet -> cable modem -> router -> one to my pc, the other goes to -> WAP -> wireless usb adapter -> the other pc ?
how do you connect the cable modem ( rca ) with the hub (BEFSR41) ?
http://www.rca.com/product/viewdetai...00094,00.html?
do i need an ethernet card? for all this?

 

[Joel Mack]

Okay,

If you have a BEFSR41 router, you don't need to have purchased another IP. You give the router the IP address you originally were using and let the router do DHCP for your two PCs.

Otherwise your diagram is fine, and you don't need an ethernet card. It's a standard RJ-45 (ethernet cable) connection between the cable modem and the router.

 

[nolesrule]

First, you don't need to pay for the extra IP. The only thing that needs an IP from the cable modem is the router. The router itself will hand out internal network IPs to any devices attached to it using DHCP (as John pointed out above).

You should use a CAT5 cable to connect the modem to the router. And use CAT5 cables to connect the router to your PC and to the WAP.

The only items that would require an ethernet card would be any computers that you are plugging the CAT5 cable into (that don't already have an ethernet card). You won't need an ethernet card for the computer attached to the USB network adapter, because it uses a USB cable instead of CAT5.

How were you connecting the cable modem into the first PC? USB or CAT5? If it was USB, you'll need to either purchase a USB adapter (I actually have 2 which I use when repairing computers without ethernet) or put in an ethernet card.

 

[felix_suwarno]

i have a cat5 cable. so i need two more. which one is better, an ethernet card or a usb adapter? if it were usb adapter, what usb adapter do i have to buy? for ethernet card, i can just buy a cheap one, right?

 

[John_Berger]

Ethernet!!! They're cheap, proven, and universal for the most part.

 

[felix_suwarno]

ok, big thanks to all of you. i wish att tech supports were as smart as you guys. they have wasted my time.

 

[Ken.Nischan]

They just want to make as much from you as possible.. One tech from Suscom in York, PA told my buddy on his cable modem in order to get his other PC on the service he would have to buy another cable modem and hook it to the other machine and that he may have to pay for another service connection! -rolling eyes-

 

[John_Berger]

One tech from Suscom in York, PA told my buddy on his cable modem in order to get his other PC on the service he would have to buy another cable modem and hook it to the other machine and that he may have to pay for another service connection! -rolling eyes-

WHAT?????!!!

I only live 1/2 hour from York, so get me the name of that service rep and I'll give the friggin' moron the massive bitch slapping that he deserves!

Quite frankly, I would have immediately reported that jackass to the corporate headquarters for attempting to rip me off. I did that at a local Radio Shack when a manager tried to pull that same crap with me regarding DirectTV. After reporting it to the corporate office, he got reprimanded and I got a $25 gift certificate. People like that tech support person need to be taken off the line immediately.

(Sorry, but that kind of blatant lying just really pisses me off.)

 

[felix_suwarno]

i think i may have a problem with the cable modem.
a friend of mine posted my problem to anandtech forum.
http://forums.anandtech.com/messagev...hreadid=952739
what should i do with the modem? i just checked that it IS a USB modem. i am very frustrated with at&t, should i sue them? they were the one who recommended me to use the modem a year ago.

 

[felix_suwarno]

now what cable modem to get in order to work with the rest of the hardware?

 

[Joel Mack]

Your current cable modem should be both USB *and* ethernet. I have this exact same modem, and use it with a router without any problems.

If you're currently using the modem as a USB modem (connecting from the USB port on the modem to a USB port on your computer), you'll need to get an ethernet cable to connect it to your router, and disconnect the USB connection.

Of course, this method also means you WILL need an ethernet card (unless you have it built in) in the first PC in order to connect it to the router.

 

[Brian_Tho]

Get an old 486 computer install ipcop on it. Use it as a nat/firewall

 

[Brian_Tho]

Oh get a switch hook one cable to router, then hook cable modem to router. 2 nics in router. hook all your pcs in your house to the switch. Set it up and you have shared internet. all for under 50bucks and thats for some old hardware.

 

[felix_suwarno]

now i have everything i need.

i connected my cable modem to the router, router to my main pc.

i have installed driver for the ethernet card as well.

now i am installing the software for the router.

i am stuck on "DHCP setting". i dont get it, right now my pc is connected to internet already even though the software installation is not yet done.

on "dhcp setting ", the software specifically asked for:

host name
domain name
MAC address

host name is my computer's name ( automatically filled by the software ), domain name is blank, and MAC address is some numbers that i dont know where they are coming from.

i asked att tech support, they said that the domain name is attbi.com but it didnt work. linksys tech support is very busy right now.

can you guys help me?

thanks in advance!

 

[John_Berger]

i am stuck on "DHCP setting". i dont get it, right now my pc is connected to internet already even though the software installation is not yet done.

Software installation for what? As long as the operating system recognizes your network card, you don't need to do anything else.

You're confused somewhere, but I'm not sure where.

Does anyone know of ATTBI uses that horrendous, ridiculous, pathetic PPPoE? That always throws a small monkey wrench into these sort of things.

 

[felix_suwarno]

i thought that every hardware connected to my computer needs a driver. so even though the cable modem works just fine in tandem with the router to connect my pc to the net, i still tried to install the driver that might be included with the cd that came with the router.

on "dhcp setting ", the software specifically asked for:

host name
domain name
MAC address

now i am stuck. do i really need to install this software?

i dont know what the domain name is, while the other two were filled automatically by the program.

i am just afraid if i didnt install the software then it wont work with the wireless access point!


another problem :

i have a wireless usb network adapter, linksys wusb11 ver 2.6. i tried to plug it into the usb port on my computer, but the computer wont detect it. another device worked on that same usb port! the manual said that the computer WILL automatically detect it.

so i tried to just put the cd that comes with it into my cdrom. autorun didnt work. heh. so i went to the root dir, to find setup.exe.

i double clicked setup.exe, nothing friggin happened. NOTHING!

i am tired of linksys and at&t. how come building a wireless network of 2 simple pcs could be this hard???

linksys tech support is really busssyyy now. cant get them on the phone.

 

[felix_suwarno]

now i found that the usb wireless adapter is defective. linksys tech support confirmed that.

they also told me that i dont have to install anything for the wireless network access point and the router. i was thinking why they included installation disc, then? what if somebody else sneaked in and use my wireless connection???