A few broadband questions

bush

Going to be getting broadband soon enough but i want to know a few things first.
I have 2 pcs at home that i want to use broadband on, i know that i need a router but do i need a modem in each pc. Is there a guide somewhere about this?

bennyx_o

I don't know too much about this. Correct me if I'm wrong, but i think you need a network card in each PC. The modem connects to the router, which connects to the network card in each PC.

rymus

exactly what benny said.. You connect your DSL modem to your phone socket and then connect each computer (with network card) to the DSL modem. Just make sure you buy a modem & router in one. Theyre pretty common these days, you can get one from the likes of www.elara.ie or www.dsl-warehouse.ie

dub45

Originally posted by bennyx_o
I don't know too much about this. Correct me if I'm wrong, but i think you need a network card in each PC. The modem connects to the router, which connects to the network card in each PC.

Yes if you buy a router with a broadband modem that takes care of the modem part.
Here is an example

You then need an ethernet card in both pcs so as to connect them to the router. A lot of recent pcs already have the ethernet card integrated into the motherboard so you may be lucky to have one already.

Have a read of this for some further hints and info.

bush

So will i have to buy 2 network cards for the pcs or will they already have them in it. They are new pcs

dub45

Originally posted by bush
So will i have to buy 2 network cards for the pcs or will they already have them in it. They are new pcs

Do you have the handbooks for the pcs or a spec? If you look at the back of the pcs you are looking for a socket that looks something like a phone socket.

Stephen

Even if you don't have ethernet cards installed, they are dirt cheap!

Ripwave

Originally posted by bush
So will i have to buy 2 network cards for the pcs or will they already have them in it. They are new pcs

It's impossible to say. Many new PCs have network ports built into the motherboard. Many don't. Where did you buy them, and what are the specifications?

By the way, if you get DSL from either eircom or IOL, then you don't need to buy a router, as they both supply "modem routers" when you subscribe. In the simplest configuration, you can connect one PC to the supplied modem with an ethernet cable, and the other with a USB cable. (The USB cable will be limited to about 2 metres in length, but ethernet can be a lot longer - as much as 30 metres in most cases). Your new PCs will definitely have USB ports.

(DSL from UTV is as much as €10/month cheaper, but they only provide a single port USB modem. They will provide a dual Ethernet/USB modem for an additional fee).

If your PCs aren't next to one another, and you don't want to run wires all over the place, then you may want to consider using wireless networking. This will be a bit more expensive - about €100 for a Wireless Access Point and €50 each for wireless network cards.

bush

Ive checked the pcs and they both have lan ports so thats ok then. So all i do then is connect the 2 pcs to the modem supplied by the provider?

Ripwave

Originally posted by bush
Ive checked the pcs and they both have lan ports so thats ok then. So all i do then is connect the 2 pcs to the modem supplied by the provider?

Not quite.

IOL and eircom both provide a device with 1 USB port and 1 ethernet port. You can use both ports at the same time, or you can get a simple ethernet hub/switch, and plug it into the ethernet port on the modem/router, and then use the ethernet/LAN ports on the 2 PCs.

Elara have a range of switches from €30.
Marx Computers in Fairview have an 8 port switch for €35.

bush

Just a couple more questions

When you have say 3 pcs on the same connection how much would it slow down. If there was only one person using it would there be any reduction in speed than if you were using it with no network??

And i have a pc that is a around 4 years old, would there be any problems putting a network card into it?

dub45

Originally posted by bush
Just a couple more questions

When you have say 3 pcs on the same connection how much would it slow down. If there was only one person using it would there be any reduction in speed than if you were using it with no network??

And i have a pc that is a around 4 years old, would there be any problems putting a network card into it?

If there is only one person using it that should not matter network or not. I use a router and when the basic quality is there in the connection its grand.

But if you are thinking of 3 pcs on the network being used together then I think it would really depend on what the users were doing. If they all went hell for leather downloading at the same time then you would almost certainly have problems. And dont forget it would all depend too on the quality of the main connection itself at the time.

According to this example of a network card it does not look as if you would have any problems.

tomk

Originally posted by bush
And i have a pc that is a around 4 years old, would there be any problems putting a network card into it?

No problem at all. My home network includes a number of PCs between 4 and 6 years old, and I have added/removed/swapped network (and other) cards with no difficulty whatsoever.

bush

I doubt that there will be 3 users on the same that much, just want to have all pcs on the internet like the way i have at the moment on the dial up. It will be good to have the option of being abl to have 3 users at the one time

Thanks for all the help.

By the way how much are network cards?

Subc

Bush i have broadband running on a couple of computers, and when people are using the internet for email, surfing the net and I'm playing games or downloading its perfectly fine, just like your receiving all the bandwidth. Unless the other person is downloading and you want to play a game the ping won't be so great so all depends on what the users are doing.

Um what the others haven't mentioned is that you'll need to put TCP/IP settings for each network card, don't know if u can do this but if you have any problems we can help. Easy anyways

Ripwave

Originally posted by bush
By the way how much are network cards?

From €12-€15 and up.

bush

And the cables, id say ill be needing a lot of cables for this. What kind of cables do i need and are they expensive?

tomk

Category 5 UTP cable, generally known as CAT5. Price depends on length.

bush

Ok thanks for all the help all i have to do now is choose a broadband provider

I know everyone on here gives out about utv but are they bad all over the country or is it only in certain spots??
Im in wexford by the way

tomk

In my experience, UTV are fine. I've only had problems recently, along with everyone else, and they have now been rectified. I'm in Bray, Co Wicklow.

I'm not a gamer, so I can't comment on the reported unsuitability of UTV BB for gaming.

Mutant_Fruit

Komplett sell good ethernet cards for 7euro and up . A 5 port switch can be gotten for €24.20 and an 8 port switch for a mere €29.04.

Dirt cheap.