Setting Up A Home LAN???

Jaicster

Ok,
I want to know how to set up a LAN at home, with 2 comps and then be able to connect to the net via a dial up modem, with one of the comps.
Question the first, could i just use some kind of usb connection instead of net workcards, as its only 2 comps.

Info: Both comps will be running the same OS=Win98
I have 1 EtherLink XL PCI network Card, and i'll buy another for the other comp if needed. Both comps have usb ports.

If you reply bare in mind i know nothing about network cards/LANs, but i'm ok for opening the comps and installing internal devices, so help me if you can.
>Jaicster

wintermute

I don't believe it is posible to use USB for that purpose, but I might be incorrect.

What I would do is buy another NIC and stick it into the other machine.

Install all the necessary drivers for the card. Usually this will involve Win98 doing all the work.

Next, you're going to need a cable to connect them together. Ask your favourite supplier for a "cross-over CAT 5 cable" of the desired length - e.g. 20M

If you plan to do anything more than just share files and printers then install the TCP/IP networking protocol on both machines.

start -> settings -> control panel -> network -> protocols

The machines need unique addresses on your new TCP/IP network so use the network -> protocols -> tcp / ip - > configure option to assign each machine an address like 192.168.0.10 and 192.168.0.20 The important thing is to ensure that the addreses fall in the range of 192.168.0.X (where X >0 and < 255)

You should now have the two boxes networked.

Install the modem on the desired machine then connect to your favourite ISP. You will be able to access the Internet only on that machine.

There is some security stuff that you need to think about before connecting 98 to the Internet but we'll worry about that when you have the bare bones of a LAN.

Once you get things up and running you can do funky stuff like share the Internet connection between the two machines.

See if any of that makes sense and post back if I've not been clear enough.

Saruman

Good man wintermute that all seems right.. to add to it, assuming the computer with the modem has win98SE then run internet connection shgaring wizard from add/remove programs - windows setup - internet tools.. then make the disk when prompted and run that disk on the other system.. simple as that. As for the IP addresses... if you dont specify and let both obtain from DHCP it will also work and sometimes even better for internet sharing.. just depends..

By the way for the love of Christ make sure you dont have ME/win2k or XP on the other system.. if so while you can get it working its an absolute pain and i would not force it on anyone least of all someone new to networking!

Gavin

Never had a problem with 98/2k working together meself.


Gav

Dempsey

Originally posted by Saruman
By the way for the love of Christ make sure you dont have ME/win2k or XP on the other system.. if so while you can get it working its an absolute pain and i would not force it on anyone least of all someone new to networking!

I trying to network win98 and Xp, what are the problems cause i'd like to know before it happens.....please?

Frank Grimes

I've networked 98 and XP without any problem, once everything's setup properly on both boxes there shouldn't be any trouble.

Matfinn

Why not use linux? Now would be a good time to get to know linux if you havent alredy done so. Its definitely the bet OS out there for acting as a server and as a router. If your new to computers, and hae a little more to learn about hardware and the general workings, i reccomend you use windows 2000 and enable internet connection sharing in that. You could use windows ME if you want, but I never liked that OS for long.

If you want to stick to windows 98, then I reccomend you use a software packet called 'wingate' which allows you to share HTTP internet access over your lan.

Hope that helps

Matt

rymus

Originally posted by Frank_Grimes
I've networked 98 and XP without any problem, once everything's setup properly on both boxes there shouldn't be any trouble.

Same here.. Just installed win xp pro about 2 weeks ago. Been able to network 98 and ME with it without any problems.

Have to get another box to install linux on it tho.. time to advance the old linux skills a wee bit.

Frank Grimes

Yeah, I dual boot the 98 machine with Linux (although I rarely boot into 98 anymore), and that's pretty easy to setup too, it took me a bit of Samba rtfm'ing but after that it's pretty straightforward (for basic sharing that is )