home network setup

[Masterfinn 0]

Hey ALL!!!

 

Kay i want to set up a home network. I have one kinda set up right now

 

my configuration is:

I have three computers. I have them all hooked together through a hub and then finally connected to the hub is the internet. So basically the hub is acting like a "splitter" for the internet line so we can all have internet on the three machines.

 

Now i was thinking of setting it up so that:

two computers are hooked together through the hub which is then connected to the third computer which will act as the server then from there it will be connected to the interent.

 

Now what my question is, is what way is best? and if i keep the first configuration all the computers can use internet but we cant make a connection to see eachothers computer or can we??? Also with the second configuration, the only problem that i have is that i would need to put two NIC cards in the "server" machine right? one for the hub to connect into it and one for the internet going out and also that computer has to be on all the time in order for the other two to access the internet right???

 

Any suggestions would be great or if you have another way i can set this up that would be awesome

 

thanx

 

Masterfinn

[Bursar 0]

My LAN is setup in the way you are describing. I have one machine with two NICs. One is connected to the Cable Modem, the other is attached to the hub. The other machines on the LAN just have one network card and are attached to hub.

 

The machines all have static IP addresses in the range 192.168.0.* and a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0

 

The only other thing you need to do is enter a gateway address on the machines that are not directly connected to the net. This address needs to be the IP address of the machine that is connected to the net (for instance 192.168.0.1). That's about it.

 

And yes, the machine with 2 NICs will need to be on in order to make the connection available to the other machines on the LAN.

 

The other alternative is to get a broadband router. This will let you connect your machines to the router (as it has a built in switch) and the cable modem also connects to it. You need to configure the router with the right settings, but the manual should help. You can then access the net from any machine on the LAN without requiring a 'server' type machine to be switched on.

[Masterfinn 0]

Thanks, Ya it sounds like that would be a good way to set up the network. I was acutally going to buy a rounter or switch but they are more exspensive so i just got a cheap hub. it seems to be working ok.

 

Now if i hook up my network like the way you say is it easy for me to set up sharing so we can see each others computer? The "server" machine the one with two NIC's will have Windows XP on it and the other two have Win98. Also is there anyway i can set this kind of sharing up with my current network configuration or do i have to switch it to that second one... either way im going to switch it to what you say.. it sounds alot better.

 

Thanx,

 

Masterfinn

[Masterfinn 0]

Also, kay i understand that i need to put in a gateway on the two computers that arent directly connected to the internet and make it the ip address of the one that is. Now is there any other network configuration that i need to do on those computers. Like what about the ip addresses of the the two computers that arent directly connected to the internet, should they both have the same ip addresses now? or should i just leave them differnet.

 

Thanx

 

Masterfinn

[yakkob 0]

Server 192.168.0.1

PC1 192.168.0.2

PC2 192.168.0.3

 

You cannot have 2 pcs on the same network with the same IP address.

[Masterfinn 0]

Ok so they have to have differnet ip's ok that sounds ok to me, and its just the gateway i have to set up on thoes two machines as the ip address as the computer directly connected to the internet. I dont really know how to set up all the sharring between all three. cuase i know you dont just hook it all up and it just works all fine there are some settings or ill have to set or some internet connection changes or something eh?.. well i have an idea but i dont know if it will all work. I guess ill just have to play with it to see.

 

Thanx for all your help!!

 

Masterfinn

[Masterfinn 0]

Ok so they have to have differnet ip's ok that sounds ok to me. But in my case i cant just make up ip's like that one after another i have to get them from my ISP and i have to get another one i guess. Butits just the gateway i have to set up on thoes two machines as the ip address as the computer directly connected to the internet. I dont really know how to set up all the sharring between all three. cuase i know you dont just hook it all up and it just works all fine there are some settings or ill have to set or some internet connection changes or something eh?.. well i have an idea but i dont know if it will all work. I guess ill just have to play with it to see.

 

Thanx for all your help!!

 

Masterfinn

[Bursar 0]

How did you get on with this?

 

As for IP addresses, the only one you need from your ISP is for the actual connection to the Internet. Most ISPs should assign you an IP address automactically when you connect (or if you have broadband, your cable modem/whatever will get the address on your behalf).

 

You then need to configure the other machines as mentioned above. You can quite happily use the 192.168.0.* addresses as they are reserved for private use and will never be used by any machines on the Internet.

 

You need to set your machines up as follows:

 

Server (machines connected to the Internet and your LAN)

Internet NIC: These settings will be provided by your ISP.

LAN NIC: IP address - 192.168.0.1

Subnet - 255.255.255.0

Gateway - blank

DNS Server1 - blank

DNS Server2 - blank

 

PC1

LAN NIC: IP address - 192.168.0.2

Subnet - 255.255.255.0

Gateway - 192.168.0.1

DNS Server1 - 192.168.0.1

DNS Server2 - blank

 

That's it. To share the connection between more than 1 PC, give an additional machines the exact same settings used for PC1 above, but increase the last number of the IP address by 1 for each machine. So PC2 would be 192.168.0.2 PC3 would be 192.168.0.3 and so-on. The only other thing you may to do is to enble sharing on the NIC that is connected to the Net. This is a simple tick box in the Network properties of that network card.

 

Let us know how you get on.

[Masterfinn 0]

Well you will all be happy to know that i got it working.

 

I set up the wirring first then i made sure that the "server" machine was able to hook up to the internet fine and stuff. Then i fired up the other two machines changed the settings as you said with the gateway and stuff. and it worked. The only thing i had to do was alo sharring on the server machine with the internet and stuff, and set up my firewall on that machine to alow access in and out you know.. other then that it seems to be working ok.. thanks for all your help

 

Masterfinn

[brandongeek 0]

if you run the ALL_Aboard software it sets it up beautifully without any hassle. it is cheap and available as a trial download. I have three systems set up that way with only one nic card in each and the DSL line in the hub. give it a try.

[Masterfinn 0]

OK its now being really screwy

 

i have it set up as follows:

 

server PC

Nic 1 - set up with settings from my ISP(connected to net directly)

- internet connection sharring enabled

 

Nic 2 - IP: 192.186.0.1

- Subnet: 255.255.255.0

- Gateway: BLANK

- DNS: BLANK

 

PC 1

IP: 192.186.0.2

Subnet: 255.255.255.0

Gateway: 192.186.0.1

DNS: 192.186.0.1

 

PC 2

IP: 192.186.0.3

Subnet: 255.255.255.0

Gateway: 192.186.0.1

DNS: 192.186.0.1

 

the problem now is that it work work. The sever machine is on the net fine, but the other two are not. I have it so that it will show the icon in the taskbar when connected right so the one nic on the net says connected but the other icon for the other nic says the network is unplugged? and i cant get it to work? i cant seem to get the other two computers back on the net?

 

please help!!!

 

Masterfinn

[Masterfinn 0]

heres an update

I got it finally so it says that the network is plugged in and stuff and the other computers are set up fine. but still no internet on those two computers..

 

i forgot to add before that the server is running XP pro and the other two comptuters have 98SE. any suggestions?

 

i have tunred off my firewall and disabled internet connect firewall in the network settings to see if that did anything.. but nothing

 

 

Masterfin

[Bursar 0]

The static IP addresses you have assigned are wrong.

 

They should 192.168.0.* If you change them to that it should work

[Masterfinn 0]

Im not to sure what you mean?

 

change which ips? and what do you mean when you say 192.198.0.*?

 

what goes in the * spot? cause i was told to put them in order like 1, 2, 3 and so on....??????

 

Masterfinn

[Masterfinn 0]

never mind about that last post i just did,

 

i know what you are talking about now..ya i just checkecd them all and they are 192.168.0.*

 

i just wrote it wrong above sorry... hehe

 

but im still stuck though

 

Masterfinn

[Bursar 0]

Double check the Internet Settings on the other machines, and make sure that they are set to connect to the Internet via a LAN.

 

Also make sure you have Microsoft Networking and File and Print Sharing installed on all machines. You can untick the box for File and Print Sharing on the NIC that's connected to the Internet.

 

Make sure all 3 PCs are in the same workgroup.

 

Completely empty the IE cache on the machine that connects directly to the net. I've had some bad cached pages that have caused problems with some of my networked PCs when they try and access the net.

 

I think that should cover the basics.

[Visard 0]

Your IP configuration it´s fine, you can try to enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP, and Client for Microsoft Networks in all of your computers. I had problemas installing a network between two computers, one with XP and the other with W98SE, and doing this solved the problem. Good Luck!

[Masterfinn 0]

Hey me again

 

kay i got one on the net, and the other wont go on the net for some reason..??? same settings as the other one but just a 3 at the end of the ip as you all say. Also when i go on the other computers do i have to "login" like with a name and password to have access or what? ... also if i wanted to make my computer a "domain" so that if i wanted to set up the other two computers to log in to a domain you know? with a name and password...... i dont know

 

thanx

 

Masterfinn

[Masterfinn 0]

ok i finally got the third computer working and it connects to the net fine. it was just some silly simple thing i over looked that i didnt take into consideration, but thats just how it goes eh. the only problem im having now is over the local intranet my XP machine cant see the other two which have 98sE or vise versa. The two 98 machines can see each other fine. I have certain files shared and i have it all set up in my network properties... still nothing.....Any suggestions?

 

Masterfinn