chrisg
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posted on 25/1/06 at 08:22 PM |
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Computer network
Hey up
What do I need to buy to connect my downstairs computer to my upstairs computer and share my broadband connection?
Cheers
Chris
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flak monkey
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posted on 25/1/06 at 08:23 PM |
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A crossover network cable, an hour, and loads of paticience!
David
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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jestre
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posted on 25/1/06 at 08:33 PM |
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2 wireless PCI cards, and 1 cable/dsl wireless router and 30minutes.
-=too much horsepower is just enough=-
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chrisg
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posted on 25/1/06 at 08:47 PM |
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Two more replies and we'll have it down under a minute.
You seriously overesimate my computer knowledge!
one of my computers is new and flashy, how do I check if I've got a wireless pci card in it?
Cheers
chris
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mookaloid
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posted on 25/1/06 at 08:50 PM |
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post a picture of the back of your computer and we can tell you
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Mark Allanson
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posted on 25/1/06 at 09:51 PM |
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Small aerial is always a giveaway
If you can keep you head, whilst all others around you are losing theirs, you are not fully aware of the situation
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gingerprince
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posted on 25/1/06 at 11:22 PM |
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Answer kinda depends. There's 2 basic options: -
1) Have the upstairs computer connect to the internet via the downstairs computer (which must be on) using Internet Connection Sharing (don't
recommend this). In this situation all you need is a crossover cable or pair of wireless network cards to connect the PCs to each other. Cheap, but
needs downstairs PC always on.
2) The "proper" way. At the moment your downstairs PC will be connected to an ADSL (or cable?) modem as your internet connection. You
will need an "ADSL router" which is basically an ADSL modem with connections for a few PCs. You can then use RJ45 (network wire) to
connect each PC to this, or if you use a wireles ADSL router you can have wireless on your PCs.
If you don't know you have wireless, the chances are you don't have it - PCs generally don't come with it as standard you have to
buy the cards.
If you ever plan to have the PCs copy large files to/from each other, then I would recommend using wires instead of wireless. Whilst wireless is tidy
and convenient it can be slow for copying large (eg video files etc) from one PC to another if you do it regularly.
I trust that's suitably too much information
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DaveFJ
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posted on 26/1/06 at 09:15 AM |
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If at all possible I would recommend running a network cable to each PC from an ADSL router. Wireless is a complete pain in the arse and causes more
problems than it solves. Personally my wireless connection is always 'droping out' - I think because so many of my neighbours have
wireless routers that the interference is a nightmare. (I can pick up 6 wireless networks from my living room!)
BTW if you do go wireless then implement WPA authentication (WEP can be hacked in seconds). 4 of the 6 networks I can 'see' are completely
unprotected!
Dave
"In Support of Help the Heroes" - Always
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Howlor
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posted on 26/1/06 at 09:48 AM |
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I have a DLink ADSL router connected to my broadband then directly linked via ethernet to my main PC. I then have a wireless laptop and a works laptop
linked into it (this uses my home connection with VPN). I want to try and install WPA but i am struggling. Any ideas?
Thanks,
Steve
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DaveFJ
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posted on 26/1/06 at 10:11 AM |
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WPA should just be an option in your router configuration (as long as it supports it - most decent ones do..)
As for the PC end - what OS are you running? ideal would be Windows XP SP2, in which case you just need to set it up in the properties of the
connection.
There are loads of websites offering information on how to set all this up - a quick google returns some pretty good references on how to set it all
up.
HTH
[Edited on 26/1/06 by DaveFJ]
Dave
"In Support of Help the Heroes" - Always
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